Love is What Happens When You're Busy Not Looking
by ilovetvalot
Summary: Sometimes the best things in life sneak up on you. JJ/Rossi, slight Hotch/Emily...Chapters 45 & 46 are H/E IT'S THE GRAND FINALE!
1. Chapter 1

** __****Author's Note: Just wanted to let you guys know that no more posts until Monday. I need to take this weekend and try to write. Please leave a review and let me know your thoughts! Thanks again for reading. You guys make it worthwhile.**

**********Love is What Happens When You're **Busy Not Looking

**Chapter One**

Smiling in relief as she walked down the long hallway in the Beaumont, Texas sheriff's office, Jennifer Jareau felt her shoulders relax as she moved toward the large bulletin board in the center of the room. Finally, she could remove those horrible pictures, those speechless victims having found justice thanks to their intrepid team. As soon as the team finished up at the final crime scene, she could officially say that another case had been solved. And with any luck, she would be able to wrap up all the loose ends with the press and the local law enforcement in time to have them winging their way back home before nightfall.

And tonight was something she was definitely looking forward to. Shuffling the various official papers on the desk, JJ bit back a smile as she tried to look appropriately serious in case any passing deputy happened to look her way. But her mind was already imagining the coming hours with David Rossi, knowing that if there was ever a night that she needed to decompress, it was tonight. And she could tell that he did to. After all, wasn't that what friends were for?

It had started three months ago, completely innocently... if such a word could be used to describe what they shared. She had slipped into his office one evening following a particularly rough case they had been unable to solve in time before the last victim was murdered. Her intentions had been to drop off a stack of bureaucratic forms, his approval necessary to close the files. But she had known as she had walked up those steps that she was interested in far more than his scrawled signature. She needed to feel alive, to feel human contact. And she had a feeling that night that he did, too, his darkened gaze heavier having lingered on her a tad longer than normal that day.

To this day, she still wasn't sure which one of them had made the first step, but by the time they had made it back to her condo, it no longer mattered. They had satisfied themselves in one another's bodies, taking and giving with abandon. And the connection was born.

They didn't call what they shared a relationship. That was far too serious a word in her opinion. A relationship implied strings, and she had studiously avoided any form of attachment that could end up hurting her in the end. No, what they had could best be described as friends with benefits. And it was definitely mutually beneficial to both of them. She had never had a lover with the skill and innate talent that David Rossi possessed, and she had to admit that he had managed to draw out a part of her that she hadn't known she even possessed.

Her attention drawn back to the present, she turned toward the covered bulletin board as she prepared to clear the evidence. Reaching for the first thumbtack, JJ looked up as she heard a sudden commotion at the main desk, the sound of radios squawking loudly in the otherwise quiet room. Her heart suddenly dropping as she saw the various sheriff's deputies moving quickly toward the exit, she grabbed a passing uniform as she asked, eyes wide, "What just happened?"

"Don't have all the details, ma'am," the tall deputy replied, his face anxiously turning toward the door. "Just got a call that the scene wasn't cleared. There's been shots fired. Think there was a second perpetrator hiding in the basement of the house."

"Wh-what?" she faltered, watching as another couple of uniformed officers rushed past her. Feeling her Blackberry vibrate in her hand, she swallowed the bile in her throat as she lifted the device with a trembling hand and read the digital message.

ROSSI IS DOWN.

Eyes widening as her vision blurred, JJ forced herself to look at the display screen again, mentally willing it to magically deviate from its original message. Blinking rapidly as she forced herself to draw in a breath, visions of herself and the older man fluttered through her mind. Them, laughing in his bed, eating bad Chinese food as they talked about their day. Sitting on her couch, his arms holding her securely against him as the credits rolled on a movie they'd only half seen...the allure of making out like teenagers to much of a temptation to resist. Listening to his stories of the "old" BAU as she'd curled in his lap. Making love to him underneath the stars in the chaise lounge at his cabin in Little Creek. So many wonderfully beautiful memories.

And three simple words had shattered it.

ROSSI IS DOWN.

Catapulting into motion, she grabbed her SUV keys with a shaking hand. It was a small town. Police Station on one end. Hospital on the other. Running toward her parked vehicle, she told herself to stay calm, not to panic. It might not be that bad. It could be a flesh wound...a graze...all taken care of with a dab of alcohol and a quick band-aid. But, somewhere inside her, she knew it wasn't. It was worse.

Driving on automatic pilot, she swallowed hard, mentally willing him to hold on, to not leave her. Had she only just minutes ago been thinking of what they had together as casual? Christ, nothing about this felt casual now. And in those moments, she knew that despite all her well-laid plans to the contrary, somehow, this connection between them had become important...vital.

There were strings. And she absolutely refused to lose it.

Quickly finding a vacant spot in the sprawling ER parking lot, she ran for the sliding glass doors. Running past the ambulance bay, she found it empty and knew that by luck or by fate, she'd managed to beat him here.

Striding toward the ER's information desk, she asked quickly, flashing her badge against the wooden counter, "David Rossi? Is he here yet?"

"The FBI agent?" the young redhead behind the desk frowned, glancing down at a bulky computer monitor.

Nodding jerkily, JJ heard the woman's terse answer. "They're rolling in. ETA is two minutes, ma'am."

"Can I..."

"You can wait by the bay doors, ma'am," the redhead replied quickly, buzzing her back to the unit as she grabbed a ringing phone.

Running down the cool corridor toward the glass doors, JJ bit her lip. How was this even possible? They were supposed to be on their way home...to a romantic evening of Italian takeout and a movie they'd never watch the end of. She wasn't supposed to be frantically running down a hallway, tears streaming down her cheeks to face an unknown destiny with a man she'd never expected to feel this way about.

What the hell kind of alternate dimension had she stumbled into where her future felt pointless now without an arrogant, albeit incredibly sexy, legendary profiler waiting in it?

'Son of a Bitch!' she mentally screamed as she came to a halt just in front of the wide ambulance doors, the bay still empty. Her mother had been right all along. Love really did happen when you were busy looking the other way.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Hope you all are enjoying this new story. Please let us know what you think. As ever, we don't own Criminal Minds.**

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Looking the Other Way**

**Chapter Two**

David Rossi did not believe in accidents. Everything happened for a reason. Some were wonderful surprises...like accidently falling in love with the ideal woman. Others were less so wonderful and more like fucking bullshit…like getting hit with an unsub's fucking bullet in a room that was supposedly cleared. Damn it, if this damned white hot pain didn't kill him, he was going to seriously do some damage to Morgan. Not for getting shot...nah, that wasn't the younger profiler's fault. More for ruining his plans with JJ. Now, that was a killing offense.

JJ. His Jen. Closing his eyes as her familiar image hovered on the back of his tightly shut lids, he gasped, the pain biting into him as her face seemed to fade from view.

"Dave!" he heard Hotch order sternly, the thin thread of fear probably only evident to those that knew him best. "Open your eyes. Do it now, Rossi!"

Forcing himself to crack eyelids that would rather remain closed, Dave grimaced. Why the hell did it feel like his chest was on fire? Oh yeah, the two in the vest he'd taken before the third bullet had pierced his side. Christ, this was a clusterfuck if ever there was one. He had fucking plans for tonight and they certainly hadn't included sirens, ambulances and definite surgery. This was not going to be chocolate and roses, now was it? But, there again, fate was a bitch. And there were no accidents, right?

"Can you talk?" Hotch questioned urgently, his hands covering the bullet wound with a firm hand, trying to staunch the flow of bright red blood pulsing from Rossi's shredded skin.

Groaning as his friend cursed, much heavier than he normally did, Dave wished he could have found the breath to tell him to ease off. Unfortunately, he was fairly certain he didn't have that much energy left. Losing buckets of blood did that to a guy. Been there, done that once before thanks to this so-called public service job. So, with the last shreds of force he possessed, he pushed the request he really needed to make past parted lips. "JJ," he rasped.

Frowning in confusion, Hotch jerked his head up as he heard Dave's faint words. "JJ's at the station, Dave. She wasn't here," he explained, thinking blood loss and trauma had altered his friend's memory.

"Want JJ," Dave persisted, coughing a little as a wave of dizziness crept over him. "Need JJ."

Comprehension creeping over Hotch's face, his eyes widened slightly. "You've got to be kidding me," he muttered, pressing harder against Dave's side. "Dave, I swear to God, when you live through this, I'm kicking your ass."

"Save the lecture," Dave panted as sweat trickled down his temple, dripping into his eye. "Want JJ," he demanded with the last of his strength as he turned his head, his cheek resting against something cold and solid.

"Prentiss!" Hotch yelled to the side, his eyes never leaving the man lying on the ground below him. "Get JJ to the hospital! Whatever she's doing, tell her to drop it and meet us in the ER of the local hospital."

Running up beside them, Emily Prentiss crouched beside her fallen comrade. Her cell phone in hand, she shook her head as she replied, breathlessly, "Already done. Sent her a text for media control the moment we knew we had problems."

"Not the..fucking.. media," Dave struggled to breathe out, trying to raise his hand only to suddenly be unable to feel his fingers any more. Forcing open one eyelid as he tried to determine which side Emily's voice was on, turning her way, he felt completely winded by that small effort. Why was Emily weaving from side to side? Didn't she know she shouldn't do that to a dying man?

"Dave," Emily started, pressing his shoulder back down to the ground as the sound of sirens blasted closer. "Lie still. You don't want…"

"Want JJ," his words slurred out, which only made his less than thrilled with his circumstances. A dying man ought to be able to say things that were understandable, he thought darkly, trying to hold on to the fading vision in his mind of the tiny blonde that had managed to capture his heart.

Looking askance at her team leader, Emily muttered under her breath, pressing one hand against the ground to stay balanced, "Is he saying what I think he's saying? Rossi and JJ?"

"Yeah, surprised me, too," Hotch replied, his voice not as dry as it normally would considering his hands were covered in his friend's gushing blood. Hearing shouts and the sound of wheels clattering against the uneven ground, he raised his voice as he told Dave, "Listen, Dave. The medics are going to move you now."

Groaning as he was lifted onto a stretcher a couple of minutes later, Dave blinked open his eyes, squinting at the people surrounding him. No blonde hair anywhere. Fuck, he thought morosely, she wasn't here yet. And damn, that pissed him off. Opening his dry mouth, he croaked, "JJ?"

Grabbing his friend's hand in a strong grip, Hotch nodded as they moved quickly, the EMTs rushing them at an almost run. "Meeting us at the hospital, Dave. You just concentrate on staying conscious to see her, okay?"

Trying to lick his parched lips and maintain focus on Aaron's face, Dave moaned again as they shifted his stretcher into the ambulance. Stay conscious? He could do that, he thought with grim determination. Especially if it meant seeing JJ's beautiful face at least one last time. He could do that.

"Dave?" he heard Hotch say tightly, his voice close and far away at the same time. "You've got to keep your eyes open."

Weren't his eyes open? Hell, he couldn't tell anymore. He was just so fucking tired.

"JJ, Dave...remember, you want to see, JJ. Hell, I want to see JJ. Don't know how somebody so intelligent would choose to involve herself with a scoundrel like you," Hotch said, determined to keep his injured comrade conscious and alive on the way to the hospital. And if he knew Dave, the one way to do that would be to get a rise out of the old bastard.

"R-reformed," Dave said faintly, wondering why one simple word was so incredibly difficult to formulate. Hell, he was an author, after all. His words flowed off the pen and tongue. He had the fortune to prove it, didn't he?

"Reformed, huh?" Hotch grunted, squeezing Rossi's fingers as he saw the man's eyelids shut for a second, his face paling even more. "Guess you'll just have to prove that to me and the rest of the team, won't you?"

"Have to prove to her first," Dave rasped, every word a Herculean effort.

"Ah, so JJ isn't quite falling as easily into one of your traps as you'd hoped," Hotch teased, his eyes glued to the monitors above Rossi's head, the EMT rapidly injecting another syringe into the IV leading into that still arm.

"No t-trap," Dave whispered, wanting to shake his head but not able to find the command to make that happen. "Love her," he murmured, eyelids fluttering.

"Hey!" Hotch said sharply, "Eyes open, Rossi," he demanded loudly. "I'm not your proxy...you wanna tell JJ that you love her? Keep your fucking eyes open!" he growled above the screaming ambulance siren.

"Pulling into the bay now," the paramedic in the front seat yelled over his shoulder, his partner already shifting Rossi's gurney even before the ambulance stopped.

And then, things began to move very quickly.


	3. Chapter 3

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Looking the Other Way**

**Chapter Three**

The moment she heard the screaming siren growing closer and closer, JJ barreled through those sliding glass doors, her chest constricting as she watched the ambulance back into place. Seconds later, the entire bay area seemed to be filled with people, scrub-clad nurses and doctors helping pull a gurney out of the back, the wheels clacking loudly against the concrete.

She tried to see him, tried to get to him. She needed him. But she barely caught a glimpse of his pale face and bloody shirt as the medical team rushed him into the small hallway. And she'd be damned if she'd gotten this close and couldn't get to him. Not by a long shot.

"Dave!" JJ called out, needing to say his name, her tongue catching in her suddenly dry mouth. "Dave! I'm here!"

"He knows you are, JJ," Aaron Hotchner said suddenly from behind her, his hand pressing against her lower back as he pushed her down the hallway. "He's been asking for you the entire time. Get in there and don't you dare leave his side."

She didn't need her boss to give her an order she had already given herself. Her face daring any nurse or doctor to stand in her way, JJ barreled into the trauma room just in time to hear the doctor yell, "Damn it, someone find a JJ. He's not gonna let us put a tube in until he talks to JJ."

"That's me," she replied frantically, darting around the doctor toward Dave's head, pushing her way past trays and people. "Oh my God," she whispered, the sight of his blood soaked shirt frightening her before she ever met his gaze with terrified eyes.

"B-babe?" Dave said hoarsely, knowing that was her voice, knowing she had to be close.

"What did you do?" JJ whispered placing a trembling hand against his clammy whiskered cheek. "We had plans tonight and you went and got yourself shot? You could have just canceled, you know?" she said with a tremulous smile, her weak humor and tears doing nothing to dissipate the idea that she was more petrified than she'd ever been in her life.

"Funny girl," he rasped, lacing his fingers with hers and tugging her hand from his cheek to his lips. Pressing a kiss against her palm, he inhaled deeply, the familiar scent of her perfumed wrist relaxing him more than any drug ever could.

"Whatever you're doing, ma'am, keep doing it," his doctor said approvingly, watching the monitors above their heads as Dave's heart rate dropped back into the normal range, although his blood pressure was dangerously low. "Keep him calm. Agent Rossi, do you have any allergies that we need to know about?"

"Any what?" Dave slurred, looking questioningly at JJ, the drugs making his thoughts sluggish.

"Penicillin. He's allergic to penicillin," JJ answered quickly, smoothing her cool hand against his forehead. Dropping her eyes back to his pain-filled gaze, she whispered, "It's okay, honey. I can tell him."

"Any medications?" the doctor asked briskly, his hands moving rapidly as he probed his patient's body, searching for additional entrance and exit wounds.

"Lipitor for his cholesterol. Lopressor and Lasix for his blood pressure," JJ explained quickly, glancing over her shoulder at the busy doctor. Looking down, she whispered, concerned, "That's it, right?"

Nodding, Dave blinked. "You knew all that," he murmured with a half smile, trying to tighten his fingers against hers but unable to make his hands work.

"Of course I did," JJ said softly, bending to brush a light kiss against his lips, not lingering even though she desperately wanted to maintain the contact. "I figured I had better learn. I had to know what to tell the paramedics in case I tried to kill you in bed."

Chuckling, Dave winced at the pain that caused as he mock glared at her. "Don't make me laugh. Damn, that hurts!" he gasped heavily as the nurses injected another syringe into his IV.

"You'll be feeling yourself starting to get foggy, Agent Rossi," the purple-clad woman to his side told him professionally. "Just go with it."

"No! Wait!" Dave panted, clutching JJ's hand, his thoughts already starting to fuzz around the edges.

"Hey!" JJ said quietly, worried eyes finding his, forcing a note of calm into her voice. "You just relax. Everything is going to be fine, Dave. Conserve your strength."

Reaching for her again, Dave looked around wildly, the urgency rushing through him as quickly as the pain. "No. H-have to tell you...m-make you understand..."

"Understand what?" JJ said, biting her lip as he groaned again. God, why couldn't these people move faster? He was so pale...so cool to the touch. Fear gnawed viciously at her belly as she watched him struggle against the nurse's hands. "Dave, please, sweetheart, relax and let them do their job."

"H-have to tell you," he muttered, batting at the nurse's fingers as she tried to replace the oxygen in his nose. Damn, couldn't these idiots give a guy thirty seconds to profess love eternal? What the hell kind of dog and pony show was this?

Shaking her head at the nurse, JJ whispered, "Let me," as she reached for the clear tubing, pressing it into his nostrils. "Tell me what, Dave?" JJ said softly, her eyes trained on his as she leaned as close as possible, not wanting to miss a single word.

Dark eyes found her serene blue eyes....well, normally serene. This afternoon, that serenity had fled, only to be replaced with bone deep fear. Fear he knew was reflected in his own eyes. Reaching up to run the tips of his numbing fingers against the soft skin of her cheek, he whispered, "Not where I ever wanted to make this confession."

"Then, don't. You can tell me after surgery," JJ offered shakily, forcing herself to smile thinly, to believe that there would be an after. "When you're stronger and not full of all the good drugs."

"No. Has to be now, Bella," he said raggedly, his face pinching with pain as he felt a sudden spike through his rib cage. "Love you. Love you so much, JJ."

Oh, God, JJ thought, a teardrop splashing hotly against her cheek as she heard that simple but so complicated word. When she'd gotten out of bed this morning, she'd hoped for a night filled with passion, the warm comfort of his body and spirit. She'd never imagined this.

"D-don't cry," he bit out, grimacing as they shifted his gurney. "I know I'm breaking our rules. Couldn't help it, JJ."

"Shut up," JJ hushed him, bending down to look in his pain glazed eyes, her fingers sliding against his clammy forehead. "You realize this is the absolute worst place you could have told me, right?"

"Uh huh," he said with a small grin, that simple action taking more energy than he ever remembered in the past. "C-couldn't help myself."

"I'll tell you what," JJ said, grasping his hand tightly in his as they began rolling his gurney toward the surgery doors, the chatter of the medical team around them, "You tell me that again when you get out of surgery, okay?"

"Tell you every day for the rest of my life," Dave promised, fighting to remain conscious as he felt a tugging in his mind, his thoughts starting to disintegrate.

"Which is going to be a very long time," JJ informed him quickly, her eyes never leaving his as she watched his eyes blink rapidly.

"This is as far as you can go, ma'am," said a nurse, gently grabbing JJ's elbow as the gurney came to a stop as they opened the surgery suite doors.

Nodding, JJ bent over, kissing Dave gently. "We both broke the rules. I love you, too. Now go get all fixed up so I can yell at you about it, okay?"

And the one thing JJ would always be grateful for was that beatific smile she sent him through those doors with. She'd managed to at least give him hope. And at that moment, hope was all they had.


	4. Chapter 4

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Looking the Other Way**

**Chapter Four**

Maybe it was just the heightened state of her senses. Maybe it was the overcrowded hallway, the feeling of being pressed on every side. Or maybe it was just her imagination. But whatever it was, JJ couldn't shake the feeling that she was being stared at. Slowly turning from those doors that Dave's gurney had just slid through, she quickly realized that it was not just her overactive, overwrought thoughts. Staring straight at her were two pairs of dark eyes, both sets possessing a mixture of concern…and questioning.

Trying to force herself to smile as she met Emily and Hotch halfway, stopping in the middle of the hallway, JJ whispered, swallowing hard, "Someone tell me what happened. Please. Tell me how a case that was closed suddenly blew back open again."

Easing an arm around her friend's trembling shoulders, Emily led JJ over to a set of chairs tucked into the corner. Pushing her down on the vinyl covered cushion, she said, concerned, "First, JJ, is there something you need? Do you want me to get you a cup of coffee?"

Shaking her blonde head quickly, his pain ridden face floating through her mind, JJ tucked her arms over her chest as she muttered, "No, Em. I just need to know he's going to be okay."

Covering JJ's trembling hand, Emily smiled. "So...you and Dave, huh?"

Sniffling, JJ nodded jerkily. "Me and Dave," she whispered, trailing off as she bit her lip, her eyes glancing back toward the hallway, wanting to run after his gurney, to know that he was still alive.

"How long?" Emily asked softly, easing into the vinyl seat next to her friend, stretching her legs out slightly as she tried to release some of the adrenaline that was still flowing through her tense body.

"Three months," JJ replied quietly, her voice barely a breath of sound in the bustling waiting room. Shrugging, she whispered, her voice suddenly too tight to speak, "It happened by accident....it wasn't supposed to be...I hadn't realized..."

"It's okay, JJ," Emily assured her, squeezing her cold fingers as she watched the tiny blonde fight the emotions flooding through her. "We don't pick how or when we fall in love." Her eyes barely shifted toward the side, catching sight of their unit chief, his white shirt stained with splashes of crimson.

Squeezing her eyes closed as hot tears leaked down her cheeks, JJ shook her head as she scuffed her toe against the ugly linoleum. "I hadn't even realized it and then I was reading your text message and I knew. I knew I loved him." Her breath caught in her throat as she tried to stifle a sob, failing mightily. "And now..now..now it might be too late to..."

"Stop that," Emily ordered gently, squeezing JJ's fingers tighter. "You have to believe this is going to turn out okay, JJ. You have to believe it for both of you."

"He was so pale, Emily," JJ said, her voice shaking with emotion, unable to shake that vision from her mind, no longer able to even remember how he looked just earlier that morning. Clenching her fingers tighter against Emily's, she tried to hold on to that connection, to force herself to hold on for him.

"He'd lost a lot of blood, JJ," Emily reminded her gently but firmly. "Blood that can be replaced with a transfusion," she added, patting her friend's hand.

"What if I lose him, Em? I only just figured out how I felt...what if I..."

"You won't," Emily said solidly, her voice never missing a beat. "You didn't hear Dave at the scene. The only thing he was worried about was getting to you. Telling you how he felt."

Wiping her wet cheeks, JJ nodded as she tried to believe what her friend was saying. "I guess this sort of snuck up on both of us," she whispered, her eyes glued to her hands as she tried to regain control.

"I'm not so sure about that," Emily murmured, shaking her head as she chuckled knowingly, "Dave was pretty vocal."

"Dave is always vocal," JJ replied, a small smile tugging at her lips as released a pent-up breath, the shaking in her stomach not as violent as just a moment ago.

"Always?" Emily asked suggestively, wriggling her brows as she nudged JJ with her shoulder, attempting to pull her friend away from the emotional ledge, knowing that this was not going to be a short surgery.

Rolling her teary blue eyes, JJ offered a watery laugh as she dabbed at her cheeks again. "Yeah, always."

Laughing softly, Emily shook her head, shuddering dramatically as she settled more comfortably into the chair. "You and Dave. This is gonna take a little while to wrap my mind around," she mused, crossing her legs. "How in the hell did you two end up together?"

Sighing, JJ leaned back against the unforgiving plastic back of her chair. Shrugging, she answered, "One too many hard cases and way too much time spent alone. Add that to a short conversation in his office and a bottle of wine, and we found ourselves in bed. At first, it was just something to ease the ache. Neither of us were involved with anyone. Neither of us had the time to invest in finding someone else. It was easy...uncomplicated. We just sort of fell into it." Jerking her shoulders straight, she exclaimed softly, "Hell, Em, I wasn't even willing to put a label on it until about forty-five minutes ago. Christ, it's insane!"

"Love usually is," Emily shrugged, nodding toward the other woman. "At least you two had the courage to reach for something," she muttered, casting a longing look at where Hotch agitatedly paced the hospital corridor as he talked into his cell phone.

"I don't think it was that so much as something collided with us," JJ said, shaking her head. "At any rate," she said, following Emily's gaze, her lips tightening again as her thoughts kicked into high gear, "I don't think Hotch is going to be thrilled with either of us when this is over."

"I'm willing to bet that he doesn't say a word. Obviously despite whatever you and Rossi share, it doesn't affect your ability to do your jobs. And he thinks a lot of both of you," Emily said softly,

"We're in violation of Bureau policy," JJ muttered, her fingers pinching the hem of her shirt, rolling the edge. "He can't just look the other way, Emily."

"One thing about David Rossi...he makes his own rules," Emily returned easily.

"And expects everyone to follow along," JJ nodded with a rueful grin, her fingers relaxing as she leaned her head back against the hard wall, letting her shoulders fall.

"Regardless, I'm sure Dave will find a loophole somewhere. And if he doesn't, Hotch will. Stop worrying. As of now, only you and I and Dave and Hotch know the truth."

"And half of GW's emergency room," JJ groaned, shaking her head, her hair bouncing against the generic wallpaper. "It won't stay a secret long. I know Dave," JJ smiled, her thoughts consumed with the opinionated profiler with a habit of blustering.

"Worries for another day, Jayje," Emily replied, patting her friend's still-chilled hand. "Let's just concentrate on getting you both through the next few hours."

Nodding as she took another deep, cleansing breath, JJ looked around. "Where are Morgan and Reid, Em?" she asked, her brows furrowing as she finally remembered their two missing teammates.

"Still at the scene. I'd imagine that's who Hotch is talking to," she said, nodding to their Unit Chief, his attention firmly glued to the phone attached to his ear. "Nobody was exactly thrilled with the fact that we'd been given the all clear."

"Emily, what the hell happened out there?" JJ asked again, needing to know what had led her to this crossroads in her life. She desperately wanted to understand what had come so close to stealing the happiness she'd found.


	5. Chapter 5

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Looking the Other Way**

**Chapter Five**

About to open her mouth, Emily looked up suddenly as she heard their Unit Chief's voice interrupt. "Just a minute, JJ."

Jerking her head in a short nod, JJ straightened up as she met the dark, worried eyes of Aaron Hotchner. Her hands gripping tighter, unable to stop the surge of fear that flooded through her body again, she asked, shakily, "What's wrong, Hotch? Did the doctors come out and …"

Squatting in front of JJ, Hotch shook his head immediately as he said, gently, "It's not Dave, JJ. If anyone's going to be talking to any doctors, I promise it will be you." Shifting his eyes from one woman to the other, he continued, "I just talked to Morgan. They've got the scene completely under control and cleared it themselves this time. The Unsub's partner has been transported to the police station, and Morgan and Reid are headed there now to start the interview."

"Was he the one that shot Dave?" JJ asked, her voice clearer than she had expected, her mind shifting as she tried to make sense of what was obviously convoluted to begin with. Her eyes couldn't help but focus on the dark stains on Hotch's otherwise pure white shirt, and she knew that it was Dave's blood she was seeing.

Pushing up from his position, Hotch pulled a chair from the side to sit in front of them. Leaning forward, his elbows propped on his knees, he explained, "We trusted the locals to clear the back rooms, considering we found the victims being held in the front room with our main unsub. The partner was apparently hiding in a closet in the back. He had a nine millimeter."

"And he used it to shoot, David," JJ whispered shakily, wincing as she remembered the damage that type of bullet could so easily do.

"None of us had any clue that the unsub had a partner, JJ. It wasn't a part of our profile. We were caught off guard," Hotch replied evenly, although his voice tightened. "Morgan and Reid are on their way." Pausing, Hotch looked at Emily uncertainly, his lips pressed together. "Morgan's pretty torn up. He gave Rossi the clear."

"It wasn't his fault," JJ replied softly, immediately, shaking her head. "Dave wouldn't blame him. It could have been any of us," JJ whispered, swallowing quickly as she felt her chest tighten again.

"It might help if he heard you say that, JJ. Evidently, he heard some of Dave's ramblings, too," Hotch explained gently.

"He knows?" JJ asked, closing her eyes. Damn, it appeared she didn't have any secrets left at all anymore. Just as well, she supposed with a mental sigh. And if she knew Dave at all, then after this, there was no way he'd want to hide their relationship in the dark.

Nodding, Hotch informed her quietly, "And he's blaming himself, JJ."

"I'll talk to him," JJ said, bobbing her head as her fingers clenched the edge of the chair, her nails digging painfully into the plastic, distracting her from the agony in her heart.

"I know this is incredibly hard right now, JJ," Hotch said softly, easing into the seat on her other side. "I've sat where you are now. Wondering...it's awful. But Dave is strong. And determined. You didn't hear him on the way over here. The man stayed conscious through sheer force of will," Hotch revealed, desperate to ease some of the terrified woman's fears, to make her understand just how important she was in his friend's world.

"How bad was it, Hotch?" JJ asked tremulously, the words fighting to slip out, to be heard over the pounding in her heart. "The injury, I mean."

Inhaling deeply as he considered how to answer her question, he finally said, "I've seen worse. Any gunshot wound is bad. He lost a considerable amount of blood and he was weakened. But Rossi is a fighter. It's not the first time he's taken a bullet."

"He told me," JJ smiled involuntarily, remembering the words Dave had used to describe that incident. "But I think this is a little different from some podunk deputy filling his ass with lead a dozen years ago."

Breaking into a genuine smile as he remembered that case, Hotch shook his head. "I thought Dave was going to pull his own gun and shoot Jason for all the laughing he did on the way to the hospital then. But that wasn't the time I was talking about. He took one in the chest back when I was starting out. Unsub came in on our blindside. Dave took two shots. It was touch and go but he made it."

"He never told me," JJ said softly, wondering why he had never talked about that event. Although, she thought suddenly, it did explain the faded scars on his chest and back, scars he never wanted to discuss even when she asked.

"Not something he was particularly proud of. He always felt like he failed on that case. While we were trying to help him, our unsub turned his gun on himself," Hotch shrugged, his shoulders sagging for a moment. "He really wanted that kill shot."

"Over achiever," Emily muttered, tapping her fingers against the edge of the chair.

"He is that," Hotch agreed with a smile. Glancing to his right as he heard pounding footsteps, he noticed Morgan and Reid hurrying toward them.

"How is he?" Morgan called out tensely from halfway down the hallway, the agitation obvious in his voice.

Shaking his head, Hotch stood, holding out a hand. "We don't know anything yet. They just took him into surgery."

Slapping his hand against the concrete wall as he entered the small seating area, Morgan reached back to cup his bald head, muscles straining. Jerking toward JJ, he whispered hoarsely, "JJ...Girl, I'm so sorry."

"It wasn't your fault, Morgan. It could have happened to any of us. When a LEO tells you a room is secure, you don't doubt them. None of us do," she said reassuringly, gesturing at the people in their small group.

"Bet I don't from now on," he grunted, scrubbing his hand over his face as his other hand clenched at his side. "How the fuck could that idiot not check the closet?" Morgan growled at Hotch.

"New to the job from what the local chief told me," Hotch shrugged, long accustomed to dealing with the ineptness of small-town law enforcement.

"If it helps, I think he's out of a job from what I overheard Chief Beckett yelling. I could repeat it verbatim if it helps," Reid offered JJ, his eyes bright as he stepped to the side.

Smiling slightly at his enthusiastic expression, JJ shook her head. "Not necessary, but thank you, Spence. Although, I'm sure Dave would appreciate the recitation after he comes out."

"Oh, the Chief used several of Agent Rossi's favorite colloquialisms ," Reid nodded, his hair falling over his eyes as he cocked his head. "I believe the term clusterfuck was used at least three times."

"Dave's favorite word," Hotch chuckled, letting himself relax for a moment at the thought.

"I still say nothing tops the time he told Strauss to go fuck a goat," Emily laughed out right, the memories of that day still ingrained in her mind.

Listening to her team chatter quietly around her, laughing appreciatively at Dave's past escapades, JJ leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. God, please, let him live. Doing this job without him there...the idea was utterly unbearable. And as minutes started to ticked into countless hours, she prayed harder than she ever had before.


	6. Chapter 6

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Looking the Other Way**

**Chapter Six**

How did she wait to find out if the life she wanted was over before it really had began?

For the past two hours and fifty-seven minutes, JJ had huddled into the molded plastic chair, her fingers clenching against the metal armrest. Every five minutes, almost like clockwork, she had glanced at her watch, the clock on the wall, or the digital display on her cell phone, tracking the seconds that seemed to be passing as if dragging through molasses. And every minute that she counted only added to the fear that was clutching in her stomach, her worries seeming to grow astronomically as the surgery continued…longer and longer and longer.

Could she last much longer? Or, as she asked herself over and over again, could he last much longer? What if something had happened and the doctor hadn't told her yet? What if…..

Her eyes closing as her head rested against the unforgiving plaster wall behind her, JJ could hear the noise around her, the faint conversations, the quietly spoken words, the beeps of cell phones and pagers echoing insistently. Over the past few hours, the small waiting room had steadily filled up with law enforcement officers from all divisions and ranks, the town's sheriff's office deputies mixing in with field agents from the local FBI field office, all waiting to know the condition of one of their brethren. A man that could have been any one of them on any given day that they strapped on their weapons and went to fight the evil that invaded every corner of their world. One of their one.

Except, he wasn't theirs. He was hers. David Rossi belonged to Jennifer Jareau just as firmly as she knew now that she belonged to him. And she'd be damned if she'd give him up without a fight of epic proportions, prepared to storm the gates of hell herself to keep him safe and sound. And right here with her.

Now that she had him, she wasn't giving him up.

Swallowing hard as she tried to control her thoughts, to clear her mind, JJ opened her eyes, prepared to once again check her watch, to mark off another click in the mental stop watch she was keeping. But before she could glance at her watch, she felt Emily's hand slide against her arm with a firm pat, the other woman's touch insistent.

Her face stoic, Emily nodded toward the entry way as she muttered, "JJ, the surgeon's here."

Immediately shifting her eyes toward the door, JJ quickly unfolded herself from the chair as she stood up, her tingling legs suddenly unsteady. Feeling Hotch's arm wrap around her waist, steadying her without even being asked, JJ turned toward the scrub-clad man who was looking expectantly into the crowded room.

"I think I can assume by the volume of badges floating around the room that you're all here for Federal Agent Rossi, correct?" the surgeon asked the room in general, his deep voice reaching the far corners of the packed area. "Is there a spokesperson I need to be talking to?" he asked, looking around for a point person.

Guiding JJ forward, Aaron nodded immediately. "That would be us. I'm his Unit Chief and Agent Jareau is his significant other," Hotch explained briskly, never pulling his arm away from JJ, her steps still uncertain.

Offering JJ a reassuring smile, the scrub clad man nodded, pulling off his cap and balling it up as he stuffed it into his pocket. "I'm Dr. Norton and I performed surgery on Agent Rossi this afternoon."

Nodding, JJ felt as though her mouth was suddenly filled with sandpaper. "Is he..." she rasped, the words becoming trapped within her tightened throat, the fears once again coming to the forefront, overriding even the simple ability to form a coherent word.

Reaching for her cold hand, Dr. Norton squeezed gently, bringing JJ's frightened eyes to him. "He's going to make a full recovery, Agent Jareau. The damage wasn't as bad as we initially expected. The bullet nicked his spleen and he did lose quite a bit of blood, but we were able to remove it and repair the damage without taking his spleen. We've given him blood and he's currently resting comfortably. In fact, when I left the unit, they were getting ready to transport him to a private room and he was mumbling a little incoherently about a JJ. I'm assuming that's you?"

Nodding wordlessly as her eyes clouded with relieved tears, JJ met the doctor's gaze with hopeful eyes. "Can I see him? Please?" JJ asked hoarsely, knowing that if she could just reassure herself, to see personally, that she would be able to believe what she had just heard.

"Of course," Dr. Norton assented with a quick nod. "Room 204 in our recovery unit. But only one visitor at a time for now," he said, glancing around the room, hoping to forestall a mad rush toward his patient. "I'm sure you are all concerned about your colleague's condition, but, for now, it's better for patient to keep guests to a minimum. I'm sure you all understand."

"JJ, you go," Hotch said quietly, pressing his hand against the small of her back. "The only one he's going to care about seeing right now is you. We'll wait outside," he said, jerking his head toward their gathered team, the others nodding their agreement.

"Thank you, Hotch," JJ whispered quickly, her thoughts already consumed by reaching Dave's side as quickly as possible, having waited far longer than she had wanted. Following the doctor's lead as they made their way through the endless maze of hospital corridors, JJ breathed a sigh of relief as they finally reached the door to his room, the metal plate to the side indicating she was indeed just a few feet away from her ultimate goal.

Placing a gentle hand on JJ's arm before she could push the door open, Dr. Norton said quietly, "A couple of things, Agent Jareau. We have extubated the ventilator we used during Agent Rossi's surgery, so, he might have a little trouble speaking, but it'll pass. He's also in a weakened condition due to his volume of blood loss. We replenished it some during surgery and are still giving him transfusions through his IV. But, I want you to understand, he might be in and out of consciousness for the next several hours. The blood loss combined with the anesthetic from surgery are going to make him groggy."

"But he'll make a full recovery, right?" JJ asked worriedly, gazing toward the closed door to Dave's room, her fingers literally itching to push it open, to barrel inside with supersonic speed.

"I have no reason to believe that Agent Rossi won't recover. He'll be sore from the surgery for a few days. And he'll be on medication for the pain and antibiotics to prevent infection, but other than that, I don't foresee any reason to believe he'll experience any lingering problems. All in all, he's an incredibly lucky man," Dr. Norton said truthfully, watching as some of the color returned to the concerned woman's pale face.

Nodding, JJ swallowed as she processed the doctor's words, trying to commit the information to memory. "Can I go in now?" she asked anxiously, cutting her eyes back to the door.

"Of course," Dr. Norton nodded, turning toward the nurses' station just a few feet down the hallway. "Just have the nurse page me if you or Agent Rossi have any further questions. Otherwise, I'll see you both during my evening rounds."

"Thank you, Doctor," JJ whispered, turning to reach for the silver handle of the door that would lead her to the man that she now knew that she loved.


	7. Chapter 7

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Looking the Other Way**

**Chapter Seven**

Pushing into the cool, dim room, JJ shivered, her body responding automatically to the obvious change in temperature. Hearing the soft beep, beep, beep of the heart monitor, her eyes automatically moved to the still man in the hospital bed in the center of the room. Oh God, she thought as she pressed her hand to her trembling lips, her mind suddenly overwhelmed. She wasn't nearly as prepared for this moment as she had thought she was. Jumping slightly as she heard a soft voice behind her, JJ turned quickly, her eyes widening.

"He'll be in and out of consciousness over the next several hours," a pink scrub clad nurse said from behind her. "Oh, sorry," she grimaced, seeing the young blonde woman jerk toward her. Shifting the yellow pitcher of water in her grip, she extended her hand. "I'm Allie, Agent Rossi's afternoon nurse. I'm on until seven. I didn't mean to startle you, honey."

"No," JJ whispered, shaking her head as she reached out to grasp the other woman's hand. "I guess I'm a little jumpy," she said, smiling weakly as she blinked, trying to find her equilibrium. "Dr. Norton said that I could sit with him," she said hoarsely, nodding toward Dave's still body.

"Of course," Allie nodded, an encouraging smile on her lips. "It'll be good for him to see a familiar face when he wakes back up. You aren't JJ by any chance, are you?" she asked hopefully, her eyebrows raised expectantly.

"I am," JJ nodded, moving closer to the bed as she got her first good look at Dave, her breath catching again as she realized how close she had come to losing him. Face slack, he didn't appear to be in any pain, and she spared a quick prayer of gratitude to whatever higher power had protected him today.

"Then I know he'll be happy," Allie said, clearly relieved as she dropped the pitcher onto the rolling bedside tray beside the bed. "Every time he's opened his eyes, he's asked for you."

Smiling as she sank into the vinyl covered chair beside the bed, JJ carefully reached for Dave's hand, loosely cupping his fingers. "Has he?" JJ said tremulously, blinking back tears as she let her fingers slide against his wrist, his pulse strong beneath her touch.

"Uh huh, sure has," Allie nodded, reaching over to adjust her patient's clear IV line, looping the tubing around the plastic railing. "He was quite emphatic about it back in the recovery room from what they told me. Are you his wife?"

"No," JJ whispered, stroking her fingers gently across the veins in the top of his hand, her eyes drawn to his handsome, sleeping face. "I'm his....his…." she trailed off, uncertain how to answer that question anymore, any answer she would have given previously no longer adequate or correct.

"I get it," Allie said softly, her voice warm as she patted her on the shoulder consolingly. "No need to explain."

"Thanks," JJ said softly, her eyes sketching Dave's face lovingly, almost feeling that she was seeing him for the first time all over again. That moment at Georgetown when she had first seen him seemed so long ago now, their lives having changed and intertwined in ways that neither of them would have ever imagined those many years prior. And in a way, she did feel that their life together was starting anew at this very moment.

"He's doing really well, ma'am," Allie offered optimistically as she made a notation on a clipboard, her eyes glancing over at JJ. "His blood pressure and vitals are holding steady. And he's already been moved off the ventilator as you can see. In a couple of days, this hospital room will hopefully be a bad memory."

"I hope you're right," JJ replied, once again offering up another prayer for that very thought. "Although I don't think I'll ever be able to forget today." For a variety of reasons, she added silently, her fingers tightening against his in an automatic reflex as she leaned closer, her knees pressing against the metal frame of the bed.

"Are you planning on staying the night, ma'am?" Allie asked curiously, tucking the clipboard underneath her arm as she opened up a side drawer on the bedside table, pulling out a small concave bowl and dropping it on the table.

"I plan on being here until he's released," JJ informed her evenly, her tone brooking no argument. "And, please, just call me JJ."

Smiling, Allie nodded. "I kind of figured you'd be staying for the duration. The look on your face when you came in said it all. I'll have one of the orderlies move one of our fold out recliners in here for you. They aren't great, but they're better than that torture device you're sitting in now. Just hit the call button if you can think of anything you or Agent Rossi needs, JJ. I'll be back in to check on you both later, okay?"

"Okay," JJ assented, watching as the younger woman scooted out of the room, grateful to finally have some privacy with the man she loved, even if he was sleeping. Staring at his face, JJ finally allowed herself to relax, leaning her arms against the mattress. God, he'd scared her today. No, she thought to herself suddenly, scared wasn't even a strong enough description. She'd been honestly terrified of losing him.

When they'd begun sleeping together, she'd promised herself that she wouldn't allow her heart to become involved, knowing from bitter experience that a broken relationship was never a pretty picture. She'd convinced herself that they were both simply satisfying a biological need. They were having a good time together.

And they had been...they'd had wonderful times. Without realizing it, she'd revealed more of herself to him than any man she'd ever been in a committed relationship with. She'd shown him the real Jennifer Jareau. Because she hadn't thought there'd been any expectations...no reason to be on her best behavior, she'd allowed herself to be her genuine self.

And that's who he'd fallen in love with. Not some illusion she'd manufactured. The real her. And she knew no man had ever done THAT before. She'd never allowed her guard down long enough for it to happen, studiously avoiding that very action.

She'd like to say he tricked her into falling in love with him. It would certainly be easier if she could just blame him, to allow him to bear all culpability for her actions. But she couldn't. He'd simply been Rossi. Direct, in your face, aggressive, assertive, hell on wheels David Rossi. Until today, he'd observed the rules they'd laid out, never pushing her to deviate from the plan or to step outside of her comfort zone. And she wondered, if he hadn't been shot, how long they would have taken to have been honest with each other.

She wondered when he'd realized he'd fallen in love with her. Closing her eyes, she remembered all the nights she'd spent wrapped in his arms, her body nestled against his in perfect symmetry. She could admit to herself now that there was no place she'd ever felt safer. And she supposed that was because she'd unconsciously known he'd protect her....protect what they had. In the months they'd spent together, he had never spoken the carelessly insensitive words about her sometimes distant demeanor that her other lovers had, their egos or psyches unable to cope with her independence. No, Dave had always accepted whatever she could offer and he'd let it be enough. She was never certain why he was so different, though. Perhaps because he understood the horrors of her job. Or maybe it was simply because she was enough for him.

Whatever the reason, she didn't want to lose it.

But her self introspection ended quickly, her eyes flashing open wide as she heard his rough voice in the still room.

"Where have you been, Bella?"

JJ smiled, even as she felt the tears rising in her eyes. "Right here. Waiting on you," she whispered, squeezing his fingers as she leaned closer, shifting her face so she could see him, so he could see her. "I hear you caused a raucous in the recovery room though," she admonished gently, sliding a gentle finger against his whiskered jaw.

"Wanted you," he declared hoarsely, blinking slowly as he tried to shake the fuzziness from his mind. "Idiots wouldn't go find you," he rasped, tightening his hand around hers, swallowing hard as he felt his throat constrict, knowing without having to be told that a tube had been shoved down his throat.

"Well, I'm here now," she assured him, leaning forward to brush a lock of his hair back from his forehead. "And now maybe you'll explain how you managed to get yourself shot. Wouldn't canceling out date have been far easier?" she teased, a smile playing on her lips as she winked down at him.

"Yeah, right," Dave snorted as he forced his mind to think, wincing a little as he tried to move toward her, needing to touch her, to know that she was truly real and not a figment of his drug-addled mind. The feel of her cool fingers against his cheek seemed like a touch of heaven, overriding the tugs and pulls of his battered body. Grinning weakly up at her, he added, feeling more like his old self, "Like I'd willingly pass up an opportunity for a good meal, a great wine and even better sex. What kind of Italian do you take me for?"


	8. Chapter 8

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Looking the Other Way**

**Chapter Eight**

"Right now, I'm just happy that you're a living and breathing Italian," JJ murmured, her fingers sliding over his chest, the feel of the heart monitors pressing against her fingers underneath his cotton hospital gown. All throughout the last few hours, her emotions had pushed her forward, not caring about anything but actually seeing him, of assuring herself that what the he was still alive. To assure herself that he was still breathing…and would be for a long time. And now that she knew he was, she couldn't help but feel a sense of elation, of joy, that seemed to slide throughout her entire being.

"Breathing I can do," Dave replied with a slight small, his thumb sliding against her hand as he shifted against the mattress, his internal organs reminding him that wasn't a good move. Winking at her as he fought the pull under his ribs, he added with a growl, "But I'd rather be making love to you."

Shaking her head at his determination, JJ felt her cheeks blushing as she chastised him gently, "I think we can both agree that we're going to be taking that easy for a while, Dave. At least 'til we can get you home, safe and sound."

"As long as I'm going home with you, we can talk about the stipulations later," he snorted, tugging on her hand to pull her closer, putting all his strength into that simple motion.

Toppling down on the edge of the bed in spite of herself, JJ pulled back as she tried to avoid pressing against him, shaking her head as she declared, "Dave! Quit that! You need to recover."

Twisting his arm as he tried to push the IV tubing out of the way, he muttered, "What I need more is you." Swallowing hard against the scratchy feeling in his throat, he coughed, trying to relieve some of the pressure. Whispering, he met her eyes as he said, seriously, "I need you to know what I said earlier is true, Jen. I do love you."

"You sure it wasn't just those good drugs doing your speaking for you?" JJ asked, offering a watery chuckle as the back of her hand gazed his flushed cheek.

"I seem to remember that I was saying it before they started mainlining the narcotics through me," he informed her evenly, sliding a warm palm up and down her chilled arm, wanting nothing more than to have her tucked against him.

"I know. Hotch told me. Evidently, you become very talkative after you get shot," she accused lightly, resting a hand over his steadily rising and falling chest as she shifted on the mattress.

"I had to make sure you knew...this this...that we were more. I couldn't let you think that you were just someone I had passed time with," he confessed hoarsely, shaking his head as he remembered that earlier fear, remembered the absolute panic that she would never know how important she was to him.

"You broke the rules, you know," JJ said tremulously, her fingers sliding against the string ties on his gown.

"You knew I was a rebel when you decided to come to bed with me," he countered, forcing his mind to stay alert as another wave of tiredness slid through him, an acute reminder of the drugs still floating through his system. "Besides, based on what you told me, you broke them, too," he reminded her, his dark eyes soft as they met hers.

"Yeah," she agreed quietly, her voice shaking as she swallowed tightly, "but, I, unlike you, didn't realize I'd broken them until you got yourself shot."

"So, you were a little late," Dave shrugged. "You'd have gotten there eventually."

"And how long did you intend patiently playing the very active role of friend with benefits?" JJ asked, smiling at him as he kept his eyes on her face. She could tell, just by watching carefully, that the meds were coursing through his system at top speed, but she desperately wanted to keep talking to him, to hold him tightly and never let go.

"As long as it took," Dave shrugged again, remembering at the last moment to be more judicious about those quick movements. Reaching carefully for her hand, he squeezed her fingers as he added, his eyes narrowing, "Or until I finally snapped on one of those local cops that always seem to find you so attractive."

"I'm not the only person in this room that has an active fan base, Agent Rossi. How many times have I had my dinner interrupted by some giggling coed asking for an autograph?" JJ retorted, sliding her free hand to his goatee and tugging slightly.

"And if you noticed, I signed the damned books and turned my eyes right back to the woman that was sharing my bed," he reminded her easily, a faint smile on his lips as he let himself just stare at her gorgeous eyes, to lose himself happily in her presence.

"Well," JJ drawled, "You sort of had to...we did agree to exclusivity."

"That wasn't what kept my eyes facing front, Jen. You did that all on your own," Dave assured her deeply. Tugging her arm gently, he murmured with a deep croak, "Now, shut up, tell me you love me, and come down here and kiss me."

"Bossy bastard," JJ muttered, mock glaring at him as she pressed a soft hand against his cheek again, his skin warm beneath her touch. Bending, she caressed his lips lightly with her own as she breathed, "I love you."

"You're halfway there, Bella," Dave replied, framing her face with a strong hand.

"Pushy," JJ charged against his soft lips.

"I'm Italian. Pushy was implied in the description, babe," Dave chuckled deeply, sighing as he felt he mouth slide against his. Moving his hand from her cheek to her neck, Dave tightened his hold on her as her tongue slowly stroked his. It didn't last nearly long enough and he groaned in frustration when she pulled away, all thoughts of pain slipping from his body as he focused completely on the amazing feel of her lips against his.

"Nuh uh," JJ said, shaking her head firmly as she grabbed his hand, tucking it against his chest. "You just had surgery. Getting your heart rate up and bringing doctors and nurses rushing in here is the last thing we need. I think you've given us all enough excitement for one day, Rossi," she admonished him, keeping her voice even as she hid that feeling of fear again, the emotion waving through her unbidden.

"Coward," Dave teased, acutely missing the touch of her skin against his as he flopped against the pillows.

Rolling her eyes, JJ stared down at him as she reached behind his head, shifting the pillow to rest better under his neck. "There are a lot of people outside that want to see you and they're only letting one of us in at a time," she said, squeezing his hand.

Tightening his grip on her, unwilling to let her leave now that she was here, Dave shook his head. "I don't care about any of them. The person I need most is sitting right here. That's all I need."

"Be that as it may, the rest of the team needs to see that you're in one piece. I'll be back. I promise. The nurse said she'd bring in one of those chair beds for me tonight," she told him gently, squeezing his fingers. "I'm not going anywhere, Dave. But Aaron and Derek both should see you."

"Fine," Dave relented finally, letting her pull her hand away, shifting in bed to watch her closer. "Send them in. But you're staying here with me," Dave growled, swatting at one of the IV tubes that wrapped annoyingly around his arm.

"Dave, the nurse said..."

"I'll be more agitated if you leave, Jen. And you wouldn't want that, would you?" Dave asked, raising a dark brow inquisitively, crossing his arms over his chest until he remembered he'd recently had a bullet removed from his body.

"You're blackmailing me to get your own way," JJ snorted, rolling her eyes as she stepped toward the doorway. "Now I know that you're on the road to recovery."


	9. Chapter 9

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Looking the Other Way**

**Chapter Nine**

Her eyes jerked open at the first squeak, immediately recognizing the sound. Throwing off the light sheet that she had tucked around herself earlier, right after he had finally succumbed to the last dose of pain medicine and the fatigue of the day, JJ pushed off the collapsed chair-cum-bed as she reached for the man in the bed beside her.

Peering down at his pinched face, his discomfort obvious even in his fitful sleep, JJ eased down on the side of his bed as she swept a gentle finger against his whiskered cheek. "Shh, honey. It's okay."

For the last two hours, the room had been almost silent, the only interruption coming from the faint squeaks and rolling wheels in the hallway. The dimmed fluorescent light over his bed blinked for a moment, the bulb fading before it reverted to the faint illumination it had been all night. As he turned his head against the plain white pillowcase, his forehead crinkled again even though his eyes stayed closed. Cupping his cheek, JJ whispered, "Dave, honey, I'm right here. It's okay."

She watched carefully as his eyes flicked open suddenly, his pupils dark and wide. "Jen," he croaked, his hand scrambling for hers as he swallowed hard, trying to find his voice again as he winced at the sudden wave of pain.

"What hurts, Dave?" JJ asked softly, wrapping her fingers around his as she automatically reached for the nurse call button, fighting the sudden wave of panic that slid through her, reminiscent of earlier that day.

Shaking his head, he tried to stall her hand as he whispered, "No, Jen. I'll be fine."

Cocking one eyebrow as she shook her head at his frail excuse, pulling his hand away from the white box, JJ murmured, "Being fine later and being fine now are not the same things, Dave. And if the nurse can help, we're going to let her."

"Your turn to be bossy?" he whispered, swallowing hard against the pain that pulled against his incision, a very present reminder of his earlier adventures.

"I think I've earned it, don't you?" she smiled gently, adding with a wink, "Someone else wanted to be in charge earlier, remember? And since I let you get your way then, you owe me now."

The door to the room opened then, a faint squeak of tight hinges announcing the arrival of the same nurse that had greeted JJ earlier that day. "Everything okay in here?"

Glancing up from her lover's tightened face at that soft voice, JJ replied tersely as the short, middle-aged nurse moved forward, "He's in pain."

Reaching over the rails on the side of the bed, the nurse took Dave's pulse as she smiled benignly. "How much pain are we talking here, Agent Rossi?"

"I'm just a little stiff," Dave muttered, trying to shift in the bed. Grimacing at the wave of pain that simple movement brought, he groaned slightly in spite of his best efforts to not do so.

"It was enough that it woke him up," JJ informed the nurse evenly, tightening her hand around his.

Grabbing his chart from the foot of the bed, the nurse nodded at JJ's comment. "Well," she said slowly, reaching into her pocket for a syringe, well prepared for this moment. "Based on your chart, you can have another of these handy dandy morphine shots," she informed him, reaching for his IV tubing with a practiced hand.

Watching as the nurse smoothly slid the needle into his IV line, JJ asked worriedly, glancing at Dave pale, sweating face, "How long before it takes effect?"

"You'll have about fifteen more coherent minutes," the scrub clad woman grinned as she slipped the needle out and capped it. "Enjoy them. If he starts talking about flying bananas, you'll know why," she joked, shaking the empty syringe at her before she dropped it into the red plastic box on the wall beside his bed.

"Thanks," JJ murmured, watching as Dave relaxed against the bed, the first waves of the miracle drug obviously having hit his system.

"No problem. Buzz if you need anything else," the nurse said pleasantly, sliding out of the room.

Waiting until the door softly whooshed closed, JJ eased down to perch on the edge of the thin hospital mattress again. Smoothing her hand over his clammy cheek, JJ whispered as she stared into his darkened eyes, "Tell me the truth, Rossi. How bad is it?"

"I've been shot, babe. It ain't feelin' real good," Dave chuckled with a slight yawn, his skin pulling tightly again even at that simple move. Ignoring his body, he added, "But I'm alive and I'm here with the woman I love, so, all things considered, today's a win."

"By whose standards?" JJ frowned, tapping her finger against his cheek in a silent rebuke, wondering how he could even think about joking at a time like this. "The man I love got shot and is now lying in a hospital bed. Not a win. A win would have been if the guy had missed."

"True, but then I wouldn't know that you love me back," Dave grinned, turning his face to press a gentle kiss against her stroking hand, his mind beginning to cloud over ever so slightly.

"You would have eventually. I refuse to believe I would have remained clueless indefinitely," JJ replied with a wink, pressing her fingers closer.

"Oh, I'd have illuminated things for you, Bella. You can count on that," Dave grinned wickedly, wriggling his eyebrows as he tried to shift in the bed, wanting to be closer to her in spite of his body's obvious displeasure. "Probably while I had you flat on your back and was...oomph-"

"That'll be enough of that," JJ ordered sternly, muffling his words with the palm of her hand. "Getting me hot and bothered will not ease your plight. I'm seriously pissed at you for stealing ten years off my life today," she frowned, refusing to allow him to sweep the entire day under the proverbial rug.

Easing her hand into his, Dave grinned unrepentantly up at her. "But getting you hot and bothered would seriously make me feel a lot better," he said hopefully as he squeezed her hand, wondering if she had any idea how gorgeous she was at three AM.

"Forget about it, Rossi," JJ said adamantly, shaking her head, her ponytail swishing behind her. "You are going to take it easy for as long as the doctor deems necessary."

"Speaking of the doctor, did he happen to mention when you could spring me from this joint the last time he graced us with his presence? I think you had me knocked out during his last ride through here," Dave asked curiously, trying to stop another yawn from escaping, his body suddenly not feeling quite as painful as it had just a few minutes earlier.

"You were in pain," JJ insisted with a frown. "And according to your surgeon, provided the next couple of days go okay, you can go home Friday. Hotch is going to send the jet back for us," JJ explained, smoothing the borrowed hospital gown over his chest.

"Ah," Dave breathed approvingly at that thought, a grin growing on his face. "You, me and an empty jet," Dave said suggestively, wriggling his eyebrows as he eased his leg up, leaning it against her soft body.

"You're seriously warped, you know that?" JJ groaned, shaking her head at his goofy grin. "You just got shot!"

"Not in my dick, I didn't," Rossi replied, mimicking her put out voice as he let the thoughts in his mind escape.

"Stop that!" JJ chastised, pinching the top of his hand lightly, feeling the warmth rising in her cheeks again. "According to what you were rambling in your drug induced stupor earlier, you plan on spending the rest of your life doing illicit things to my person. And since I plan on you living a long, long time, you don't need to be in any hurry."

"Babe, I can assure you, those weren't the drugs talking," Dave winked as he settled deeper against the hospital pillows, momentarily wishing for the down-filled custom-made set he had at home. "That was all me."

"Good to know," JJ murmured, bending to brush her lips against his as she noticed his eyes growing heavier with each passing word.

"Need to talk 'bout what happens when we get home, JJ," Dave said, blinking several times as a wave of sleepiness swept over him. Yawning again, this time for much longer, he slurred as he tried to force out the words, "Want this to be perm'nant, Bella."

"Shhh," JJ hushed him as an inexplicable joy suffused her, his simple words touching a special part of her heart. We'll talk about all that later, Dave. For now, you sleep," she urged softly.

"Love you," Dave breathed, finally succumbing to the powerful opiate coursing through him, his dark lashes fanning his cheek as his eyes fluttered shut.

Pressing another kiss to his slack lips, JJ squeezed her eyes closed as a relieved tear rolled down her cheek. "I love you, too," she whispered into the quiet, dark hospital room.


	10. Chapter 10

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Looking the Other Way**

**Chapter Ten**

Rolling his eyes as JJ adjusted the throw over his lap for the third time since the BAU's jet had taken-off fifteen minutes ago, he heard her worried murmur of, "Dave, are you sure you're warm enough? That seatbelt isn't aggravating your wound, is it?"

Capturing her fidgety hand in his as it grasped the edge of the light chenille throw again, Dave sighed. This was going to be a long assed recovery if she kept hovering at the rate she was going. "Bella, for the third time, I'm fine. No pain, whatsoever."

"You remembered to take the extra pain pill, didn't you?" JJ asked anxiously, her eyes widening as she tried to remember if she had actually seen him swallow the meds.

"No," Dave replied slowly, drawing out the one syllable word as he tightening his fingers around hers. "We discussed this before we took off, babe. If the pain becomes unmanageable during the flight, I'll take the extra medication. For now, I'm fine." Watching as she opened her mouth to refute his statement, Dave squeezed her hand. Attempting to distract her, he asked, smiling down at her anxious face, "So what's the plan for when we land, Jen?"

"Plan?" JJ repeated, tilting her head as she stared into his dark eyes, letting herself relax against the comfortable leather seat for a moment.

"Uh huh," Dave nodded, tugging her hand to pull her closer, "The plan. Don't even bother trying to convince me that you don't have one. You've been micro-managing my life since I got injured. Don't tell me that you intend to stop now," he grinned, stretching his legs out appreciatively.

"I don't call it micro-managing when I stop your attempted escape from the hospital via the freight elevator," JJ snorted, smacking at his leg through the thin coverlet. "You're just still peeved that you weren't nearly as stealthy as you anticipated."

"Hey, I almost had it in the bag. If that damned janitor had just kept his trap shut for five more minutes..." Dave complained, his eyes narrowing with the memory.

"I don't think your fifty dollar bribe was quite worth his job," JJ said, biting her lip against the laughter welling in her throat, grateful for the small release.

"And that's another thing...you let him keep my money," Dave growled, tickling her ribs as he fought the grin that wanted to escape.

"You're rich and he earned it," JJ shrugged easily, batting his merciless fingers lightly with her hands.

"'Fess up, Jareau...you already had him on your payroll, didn't you?" Dave questioned suspiciously, his shoulder bumping against hers as the plane rolled to the side for a moment.

"I can neither confirm nor deny your accusations," JJ replied neutrally, privately thinking that the hundred dollars she'd slipped the janitor was the best money she'd ever spent. She must remember to send that man a thank you note this week for fulfilling his part of their quickly developed partnership. God knew she needed all the help she could get when it came to keeping David Rossi toeing the line.

"Yeah, that's about what I thought," Dave grunted, unwillingly impressed by his lover's ingenuity. "You made sure my plans got foiled."

"Your nefarious plan that could have been extremely detrimental to your health and my sanity," JJ countered emphatically, unwilling to let him downplay anything that was going to be dangerous to his necessary recovery.

"Phppttt," Dave said, waving a hand negligently in the circulated air, "I was merely trying to reinforce that my release from the hospital should become highly imminent. My doctor got the point."

Pursing her lips, JJ glared at him, barely resisting smacking his arm again. "Yeah, and don't think I didn't notice that you waited until I made a trip to the cafeteria to call that little tete-a-tete, Rossi. You've taken being a sneaky bastard to a whole new level," JJ muttered, shaking her head at his underhanded antics.

"Jen, I'm fine," Dave said for what felt like the fortieth time, making him wonder, yet again, if he needed to have that phrase tattooed on his forehead. "There wasn't any reason to extend my stay in their fine establishment," he insisted, squeezing her hand. "Not when I have such a lovely, willing nurse to coax me back to full health," he winked, his imagination providing him with many wonderful options for how he could spend the next few weeks of his recovery with her.

"Funny you should mention that," JJ said with a grim smile. "If you thought Nurse Helga was bad back at the hospital, you haven't seen anything yet," JJ threatened, pinching the loose skin on the top of his hand. "Especially if you step out of line."

"Gonna bring out the whips and chains, Bella?" Dave asked, wriggling his brows. "That could be fun."

"I wouldn't get my hopes up if I were you," JJ sighed, leaning her head back against the cushioned seat as the plane took a slight dip. "You, sir, are going to be on your best behavior until your physician pronounces you whole and healthy."

"Yes, ma'am," Dave said, saluting sharply as he slid his foot underneath hers. "And have you decided where this little recuperation of mine is going to take place yet?" Dave asked, smiling contentedly at the woman beside him.

"I think you'll be more comfortable at Little Creek," JJ replied, her lips turning down as she considered his question, "although, my place is closer to the hospital."

"I'll be fine wherever you wanna go, babe, as long as we're together," Dave replied readily, knowing that he honestly didn't care where he ended up any longer. "But, I don't foresee any more trips to the hospital for me if that's what's worrying you."

"God, I hope not," JJ groaned. "One of these with you was enough to last me a lifetime, thanks."

"Have I mentioned how grateful I am that you stayed with me?" Dave asked quietly, shifting his arm around her and pulling her against him, ignoring the pull in his side as his incision reminded him of his recent surgery.

Leaning her head on his shoulder, JJ exhaled softly as she snuggled closer to his warmth. "Like I'd have gone anywhere else. But I want you to remember that sentiment in a week's time when I'm forcing you to do your physical therapy," she teased gently, rubbing her fingers against his arm.

Chuckling, Dave nodded as he brushed a kiss to her temple. "Noted." Pausing a moment as his eyes drifted out the small window beside him, he murmured, "So...Little Creek. We'll need to stop by your condo and grab some of your things since you systematically refused every time I suggested you leave things at my place. What was it you said? I believe it was, 'That's too much like a relationship, Dave'."

"Okay," JJ mumbled, her cheeks warming as she remembered that very phrase coming from her lips, "so, the joke was on me. But the laugh is on you. I already had Emily take a bunch of my stuff out to the cabin. So, there," she said, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Might as well have had her take it all," Dave replied calmly. Turning his eyes back to hers, he added confidently, "Since I don't plan on letting you leave."

Gazing up at him with a soft smile, JJ replied lightly, "You never know, Dave. A few weeks with my undivided attention and you might feel differently."

"Not a chance in hell, Bella," Dave snorted, tightening his arm around her shoulders as he pulled her against him. "I waited for months to tell you how I felt....building this relationship between us. You think I waited that long for the woman I love to just get bored in a couple of weeks? Not fucking likely. For better or worse, babe, I'm afraid you're stuck with me. Especially when I know you love me back."

"I definitely love you back," JJ whispered, nuzzling his neck, taking comfort in the feel of his pulse against her skin.

"And I'm definitely in this for the long haul. And so are you," Dave said with finality, mentally daring her or anyone else to ever doubt his words.


	11. Chapter 11

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Looking the Other Way**

**Chapter Eleven**

Groaning as they pulled up to the mansion that he insisted on referring to as a mere cabin, David Rossi stared through the windshield at the gathered group on his front porch. Turning to glance over his shoulder at the woman sitting primly behind him in the SUV, he griped under his breath, "Damn, Jen, what'd ya do? Send out engraved invitations announcing our arrival plans?"

"I don't think JJ was exactly to blame for our team's enthusiasm at welcoming you home, Dave," Aaron's deep voice answered instead, his tone bordering on the dry side as he cut a look at his front seat passenger. "It appears that you might have Garcia to thank for this particular party. She was quite vocal about the fact that she didn't get to see you alive and well after your surgery, and she demanded her own viewing."

Leaning forward as she tapped her lover, hard, on the shoulder, JJ added, her voice filled with warning, "And you, Dave, will smile and behave yourself, you hear me? Unless, of course, you want the entire team to think that they need to take turns staying with me to take care of you because you might be too much for me to handle."

His eyes immediately meeting hers as he comprehended the not-so-veiled threat, he assured her quickly, one hand in the air in a silent pledge, "I'll be the best damn host those so-called friends of ours have ever seen, babe." Pausing, he added, his voice deepening, "As long as they get their collective asses off my property before nightfall, that is."

Chuckling at his long-time friend's antics, Hotch shook his head as he muttered, "And that's all the signs we need to know that you're obviously well on your way to recovery."

"He's griped his way across several states in the last few hours, Hotch," JJ murmured, rolling her eyes in the backseat. "Just tune him out. I did," she shrugged as she leaned back against the headrest for a moment.

Looking at Hotch indignantly, Dave asked with a put-upon tone, "If you had been shot, put in the hospital and nearly died, wouldn't you want to fool around on an empty jet and reaffirm your life?"

"Dave!" JJ gasped as his obvious intent, eyes wide as Hotch pulled in front of the cabin.

"Please," Hotch said with a straight face as he put the vehicle into park, turning to glare at his one-time mentor, "do not desecrate my plane."

"We didn't," JJ assured him quickly, grabbing her bag from the back seat as she felt her cheeks flushing. "I wouldn't!"

"Yeah," Dave snorted, reaching for his door handle, "for the first time in my long life, I actually fell in love with a prude," Dave complained as he stepped out onto the drive, feeling his side stretch uncomfortably at the movement.

"Somehow, I think you'll live with it," Hotch deadpanned, reaching for his own door as he hid his grin, knowing that those two obviously didn't need any more encouragement on their road to happiness.

Seconds later, all three sets of ears heard a high pitched squeal as Penelope Garcia flew off the steps of the deck toward them, despite Morgan's attempt to restrain her. "Super Agent!" she squeaked, hurling her voluptuous body toward Dave, the object of her current worry. "You're okay! You are okay, aren't you?" she asked, her words muffled by his chest.

Staggering back, Dave's arms automatically surrounded the enthusiastic tech, as much to stay upright as anything else. "I'm fine, Garcia," he panted, sending a pleading look over her shoulder toward JJ as the noose her arms created tightened.

"You swear?" she whined, the idea of any member of her team falling victim to some psychotic freak in the field enough to cause her arms to tighten to manacles. Now that she had the man home, safe and secure, she was bound and determined to ensure he stayed that way!

"Swear," Dave choked, wincing as his stomach pulled, the additional pressure and effort to stay upright taxing his already over-taxed muscles.

Gently slipping a hand between them at Dave's grimace, JJ gently separated them as she murmured, "But he was shot, Garcie. Remember? Just a couple of days ago, sweetie. Ease up."

Instantly releasing the elder agent, Pen's eyes widened to saucers as she threw her hands up in the air. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Super Agent! Are you okay?" she asked contritely, her eyes widening in sudden worry once again.

Wrapping his arm around Jen's shoulders and smiling slightly as he leaned against her, Dave nodded. "Just fine. Nothing Jen's TLC won't cure, Garcia." Looking around, he rolled his eyes at the assembled group just waiting for him to make an appearance. "I know Garcia's excuse for being here. What about the rest of you yahoos? You don't have lives?" he asked with a grin, looking between Prentiss, Morgan and Reid.

"Just wanted to make sure you made it home in one piece, Rossi, safe and sound" Morgan smirked as he leaned against the raw wooden post on the deck. "I lost some money on that. Some of us, and I won't say which ones," he chuckled, looking around the group, "figured JJ would bring you home in pieces. Either than, or she would start scattering your various limbs over every state you flew over to get home."

"Well," Dave returned, holding the arm not holding JJ aloft, "as you can see, I'm safe, whole and in one relative piece. Minus a bullet here and there that tried to take up residence in my body."

"Let's get you inside," JJ said softly from his side, gently easing him toward the wooden steps as she tried to forget that very bullet that had tried to take him from ehr.

He really hated to admit it, but, minutes later, he realized that nine simple wooden steps had just kicked his ass. Between JJ and Hotch, they'd gotten him up the incline, step by step, inch by inch. But, as he sank into his comfortable leather recliner in his great room, slightly breathless and tired, he could tell it would be awhile before he was running marathons. Or chasing unsubs. Gazing at Aaron, he asked, feeling his body gratefully relax, "How long is my medical leave?"

"Six weeks," Hotch replied succinctly. Seeing the glint in Dave's eyes, he shook his head as he narrowed his eyes. "And not a day shorter. I want you at a hundred percent when you return to the field."

"What the hell am I gonna do for a month and a half, Aaron? I'll be fine in a week or two," Dave argued, his brows furrowing with consternation as he tried to imagine the so-called vacation and how he would fill his days.

"Write a book," Emily suggested lamely with a shrug, grinning at the thought.

"No. He most certainly will not," JJ said, glaring at her reluctant patient as she dropped a light throw over his legs. "He's going to rest and regain his strength. No more. No less."

"Why do I sense that concentration camps might have had more freedom than this place will," Morgan smirked as he met Reid's wide eyes, remembering the second bet he had made earlier. Apparently the young doctor thought that Rossi would behave himself and follow JJ's rules to the letter. However, Morgan knew better. David Rossi was not exactly given to having someone else run his life, no matter how much he professed to love that woman.

"You're not funny," JJ snapped, glaring at Derek with narrowing eyes. "The doctor said to rest and he's gonna rest."

"Even if she has to tie you down to do it," Penelope grinned at Dave from her perch on the armchair beside him, not wanting to be too far from her favorite super agent.

"Now, there's an idea," Dave wriggled his brows at JJ, grinning unabashedly at the faint blush that colored her fair cheeks as she swatted at his leg.

"And on that note," Hotch said with a shake of his head, rising from his seat on the deep leather sofa, "I think it's time we all get out of her and let JJ get the patient settled back into his surroundings."

Saying their goodbyes to their colleagues and friends, soon only Hotch remained. Meeting JJ's eyes as Dave finally dozed in his recliner, Hotch said softly, "All you need to do is call if he gets out of hand. One of us can be here to help you, JJ."

"Don't worry, Hotch," JJ said with a smile toward Dave, her eyes softening as she watched his chest rise and fall with each even breath. "I've gotten pretty adept at dealing with the mercurial David Rossi."

"For the record, I finagled you as much time as he takes," Hotch informed her, unable to miss the look of love that had crossed her face as she stared at the older agent. "If you don't run screaming for the hills first. I've heard Dave's not the most cooperative patient on earth."

Shaking her head as she turned back to her unit chief, JJ said quietly, acknowledging the concern in his words, "He's not going to run me off, Hotch."

If she'd only known what she was agreeing to then. She might have said something entirely different.


	12. Chapter 12

_**Author's Note: Thank you to everyone reading, reviewing, alerting and favoriting this story. I'm extremely grateful and truly appreciate hearing from each of you. I'm going to try and get some writing done tomorrow, so, the next post will be Friday. Thanks!! As ever, we don't own Criminal Minds.**_

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Looking the Other Way**

**Chapter Twelve**

"Aha!" JJ snapped loudly, both hands dropping to her hips, daggers flicking from her eyes as she stared across the brightly lit kitchen in her new home. "I knew you were up to something!"

Realizing that he had been caught, for the third time that morning alone, Dave dropped his hand away from the back door as he turned to face the tiny blonde on the other side of the kitchen. Pasting an aw-shucks grin on his face, he said cajolingly, "Aw, Jen, I was just going out to the deck. There's nothing wrong with that, is there?"

"Don't even try, Rossi," she snorted as she shook her head, wondering why she had ever trusted him to just simply stay put in one place and recuperate. Stomping in his direction, JJ slammed the French door shut as she pointed imperiously toward the doorway to the den. "You were not supposed to be off the couch, remember? That's the deal we made this morning when you conned me into letting you out of bed."

"Hell, woman, you wouldn't let me do anything interesting in that bed, so I didn't see any reason to stay there," Rossi grumbled as he stood his ground, staring down into her flashing blue eyes. "And seeing as how we've been home a whole five days now, I can guarantee you that I'm more than ready for a little physical therapy between the sheets. I'd like to celebrate my life in more tangible ways, babe!"

"When your doctor personally gives me a notarized release form that says that you are cleared for that type of activity, then we'll discuss it. But considering you managed to pull a muscle and almost put yourself back in the hospital just yesterday morning because you tried to catch me, I don't think that's gonna happen any time soon," JJ retorted as she wrapped a hand around his arm, trying to tug him away from the door.

Looking longingly over his shoulder at the deck, Dave whined, "But, it's sunny, babe. And fresh air and sunlight are better than any medications a doctor could order."

"You aren't gonna give up, are you?" JJ sighed, tightening her fingers around his bicep as she felt herself start to weaken.

"I think a little sunshine would improve my disposition dramatically, thus, making me a much more complacent patient," Dave theorized hopefully, grinning down into her indecisive eyes. It was moments like this that he knew that he could sway her to his way of thinking if he only remained on task and persistent. And if he got his way, he planned on her joining him for this little adventure.

"There's not a complacent bone in your body, Rossi, and don't think I'm not aware of it," JJ grumbled, reaching for the patio door again. Hearing his war whoop behind her, she turned to level him with a stern glare. "Half an hour. In the chaise lounge with your feet firmly up. That's my offer. Take it or leave it."

"Taking it with all the gratitude in my heart, babe," Dave vowed solemnly, pressing a hand to his chest.

"Uh huh," JJ grunted, watching carefully as Dave slowly stepped out on the deck. "On the chaise," she ordered, guiding him toward the comfortable lounge. "While you rest, I'll go start our lunch."

Catching her arm before she could move away, Dave shook his head as he shielded his eyes from the sun. "Lunch can wait. I'd rather spend time with you," he said, tugging her gently down beside him on the wide cushion.

"Only if you're on your best behavior," JJ warned, wagging a finger at him, shaking her head at his obvious intent. "No funny business," she admonished, sliding beside him.

"Jen, seriously, honey, I'm fine," Dave sighed, dropping his arm around her and cuddling her into his side, letting out a sigh as she let herself snuggle against him. "And I miss you."

"I've been right here with you every day, Dave," JJ shook her head, rubbing her cheek against his flannel-covered shoulder. "What you miss is sex," she snorted, silently admitting to herself that she knew exactly how he was feeling. But that didn't mean that she was about to give in to any of his attempts. Not at all.

"Hey, don't knock it. Great sex is what started us off on this particular journey," Dave chuckled, brushing a kiss to the top of her glistening head as he shifted against the cushion, settling them both more comfortably against the chair.

"I'm not knocking the sex, Dave. I'm questioning your ability to safely perform," JJ murmured, rubbing her hand against his chest, his heartbeat pounding underneath her touch.

"Trust me, babe, I'm fully functional. If you'd relax for two seconds, I could show you that," Dave complained, trailing his fingers against her arm.

"I'll relax when the doctor gives me...and you...permission to do so," JJ countered stubbornly. "Your appointment is bright and early tomorrow morning. I think you can hold out that long, can't you?"

"Don't bet on it," Dave grumbled, sliding a hand possessively over her breast. "Hell, you haven't even let me see you naked since we got home."

"I'm not a cruel person by nature, Dave. And I don't believe in starting something that you can't finish," JJ stated unapologetically, sliding closer in spite of her best laid plans.

"Oh, I can finish. In fact, I bet I finish remarkably fast the first time I manage to get you flat on your back," he whispered against her ear.

"Not too fast, I hope," JJ giggled, his breath tickling her neck as she shimmied against him. "You aren't the only one that's gone without here."

"You're taking one for the team unnecessarily, babe," Dave chuckled, turning on his side to brush a kiss against the tender flesh below her ear.

Humming as Dave's marauding mouth teased a path up her neck to the shell of her ear, JJ moaned. "So not fair, using my weak spots against me."

"Hell, honey, this is the first time I've gotten you still enough to try and reach these spots," Dave whispered, pulling a lobe between his lips. "Just relax. You put the kibosh on my favorite past-time. Don't tell me that you're gonna take away making out, too."

"Making out leads directly into banned activities, Dave," JJ moaned softly as his assault on her neck continued, the sun warming her body as his touch heated her even more.

"Doesn't have to," Dave muttered, easing his hand under her loose tee shirt with a smooth motion. "Bella, just shut up and kiss me," he demanded gently, grinning down at her beautiful face.

"Bossy bastard," JJ mumbled, lifting her lips to his, wanting this as much as he did.

Kissing the woman in his arms gently at first, Dave smiled against her mouth, nipping her lower lip. Quickly stealing the advantage as she parted her lips to chastise him, Dave effectively quieted her protest with admirable skill. Gradually building the intensity between them, he slowly felt JJ fall into the embrace. A few more moments and he'd have her exactly where he needed her...needed them both.

At least, that had been his plan.

But ex-wife number three had never had any respect for his well-laid plans during the length of their marriage. Why should he have expected any more of her now?


	13. Chapter 13

******_Author's Note: Thanks again to everyone that is reading, reviewing, alerting or favoriting our stories. We truly appreciate hearing from each and every one of you in whatever way you choose to communicate. With ten ongoing stories, this will probably be the last post until Sunday afternoon/evening. Hopefully, we'll be able to bring back some quality chapters to you. As ever, we don't own Criminal Minds._**

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Looking the Other Way**

**Chapter Thirteen**

The sound of a slamming door somewhere in the house filtered onto the back deck, drawing them both from that hopeful embrace, catching JJ's attention first. "Dave," she whispered against his lips, pressing against his chest as she struggled up into a sitting position on the small lounge chair. "That was a door! There's someone in the house!"

"It was just the wind blowing through one of the upstairs windows, cara," he moaned, trying to pull her back down so that they could resume their more pleasurable activities. Tugging on her hand, he assured her, "It does it all the time. Wind tunnel flows down the hallway."

Listening closely for any other noises, JJ reluctantly let herself settle against him again as she reminded herself that she had opened the windows herself just an hour earlier. Glancing up, she saw the upstairs curtains fluttering in the open window, just verifying her memory. Maybe he was right. Snuggling back against him, she smiled down at his frown as she rubbed her fingers over his lips. "Now, where were we?"

Wriggling his eyebrows as he easily hauled her tiny body closer, he wriggled his eyebrows as he captured her lips again, muttering against her skin, "We were…."

But before his words could be finished, the French doors leading from the kitchen to the deck opened with a snap. And there, in all of her glory, stood the one woman he had hoped to never see again.

"Well, well, well," the newcomer said, her eyes widening in what passed for undisguised interest as she stared at the tangled couple on the lounge. "I rushed right over as soon as I heard about your horrible, horrible accident, Dave! It looks like I was just in time to keep you from hurting yourself even more!"

Squeezing his eyes closed for a moment, Dave prayed that, perhaps, this was a vicious trick of one of his medications...or maybe, a nightmare that he'd awake from, safe and warm by JJ's side. But, unfortunately, he'd know that grating trill anywhere, at any time. It still haunted his nightmares, visions of her razor-like talons reaching for his wallet flashing in his mind's eye.

But he'd truly thought he'd heard it for the last time, four years ago in a courtroom in New York. That overpriced attorney had promised, damn it! Hell, he'd given her a huge enough settlement to ensure that he shouldn't have to see her again for three lifetimes.

And, if those results were obtained, it would have been money well spent. Evidently, though, he hadn't spent nearly enough to banish her presence. Because that was most definitely her, standing proudly in front of their chair.

"Dave?" he heard JJ say haltingly, stiffening against him on the chaise lounge. "It appears we have company."

"That's not company, Bella. That's Satan in human form," Dave grumbled, opening his eyes to glare at his ex-wife, glaring darkly at the incubus before him. "Lose your broomstick, Esmerelda?" he asked caustically, wondering where a flying house was when you needed it. "I can assure you, you didn't leave it here."

"Always the comedian," Dave's ex-wife smiled sweetly, moving forward to hold out her slim hand to JJ, her wrist adorned with a sparkling diamond bracelet that glittered in the bright sun. "Lara Rossi," she said sweetly, her feminine voice laced with just enough ice to send a shiver through JJ.

"Clancy," Dave corrected grimly, watching as JJ dropped that evil hand as quickly as possible. "You're forgetting the extra ten grand I added to our divorce settlement to get you to drop my name," Dave growled as he straightened up in the lounge chair.

"My apologies, David," Lara said, inclining her head regally as she adjusted her purse on her arm. "Lara Clancy," she said, rolling her eyes.

Looking between Dave and the obviously cultured brunette standing in front of their seat, JJ suggested uneasily, trying to scoot to the edge of the chair, "Maybe I should give you two a few minutes alone."

"Thank you, dear," Lara said with gracious condescension, raising a brow at the newest beauty adorning Dave's arm.

"Maybe not," Dave retorted, splaying a hand over JJ's tummy, effectively holding her in place. "You can't leave me alone with her, Babe. I'm pretty sure this one," he said, nodding his head toward the poised woman in front of them, "tried to poison me on her way out the door."

"You really need to get some new material, David," Lara advised through pursed lips. "You had a simple case of food poisoning."

"After eating the meal YOU prepared with such loving care for me," Dave said, narrowing his eyes as he gripped the wooden arm of the chair.

"Mere coincidence," Lara declared with a shrug of her slim shoulders, her designer jacket rising and falling delicately. "And, you, my dear ex-husband, never managed to prove a thing."

"Only because I wanted an expedited end to our abbreviated relationship, Satan...before you managed to shorten my lifespan any more than you already had," Dave snorted.

"Always a flair for the dramatic," Lara murmured with a long-suffering sigh. "You'll see it more and more as time goes on, dear," she said, smiling benignly at JJ, her eyes narrowing as she raked them over the younger woman. "That is, IF you manage to stick around long enough. His attention span shortens as he ages. I was the last wife and I lasted a paltry year."

"The longest fucking year of my life, Bella," Dave grumbled under his breath, his eyes catching JJ's as he watched her tentatively slide a stray lock of loose hair behind her ear.

"Oh? I thought you'd say that was our year long divorce proceedings, David," Lara commented neutrally, drawing his attention back to her purposefully.

"No, my pardon from hell at the end made up for that year," Dave replied evenly, his arm tightening around the tense woman beside him. Glaring up at the evilness that represented his past, Dave bit out, "Get to the point, Lara. What horrible sin have I committed that God has darkened my door with your presence?"

"That hurts, David," Dave heard her reply, watching his ex-wife wince as she pressed a hand to where her heart should have been. But, he was on to her. Unfortunately, he knew from personal experience that there was no beating organ there. Her black vacuum was fueled by Satan's own energy straight from the pits of hell. He was sure of it.


	14. Chapter 14

******_Author's Note: Good eve, all! A quick thank you to everyone that continues to read, review, alert and favorite our stories. Please, let us continue to hear from each of you. As always, we enjoy hearing your thoughts and feelings on our stories - even when you don't particularly agree with the plotline. In other news, I will soon be starting a discussion forum called, "Idle Chit Chat on Author's Corner", where, hopefully, we can come together and learn more about each other and the challenges each of us face in writing. Subjects could include, finding a beta, dealing with writer's block, etc. And I'm also hoping to do one to one focus threads with authors on all ships and all pairings where we learn about their stories and the challenges they face. I think this could be a wonderful place where unique people could come together and enjoy themselves. And I really want to gauge the level of interest out there. Please let me know what you think of this idea! I really want to hear from you. Thanks again!_**

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Looking the Other Way**

**Chapter Fourteen**

When she had awakened that morning, Jennifer Jareau had had great hopes for this day. The worry of the first few days since she had brought Dave home was beginning to fade a few degrees, his attempts at violating her self-determined rules proving to her that he was well on the road to recovery. Not that she would ever have admitted that to him, though, knowing that if he thought she condoned one inch of freedom, he would exploit it to his full advantage. Much like he had done to get his way and spend what she hoped would be a relaxing moment together in the warm sunshine.

But that thought was flying out of her mind as she stared up in sheer astonishment at the woman that had brazenly invaded their personal space. And apparently the witch had ulterior motives that far exceeded her paltry excuses of checking up on her ex-husband's rapidly improving health. JJ prided herself on being an astute people reader, and it didn't take any special skills to realize that Dave had definitely made a poor choice when he had first allowed Cruella DeVille into his life in the first place. Once she was absolutely certain that he had fully recovered from those wounds that had almost taken him from her in the first place, she was going to kill him later for ever allowing that woman anywhere near them again.

Feeling JJ stiffen in his arms as he glared daggers at the human form of the devil incarnate, Dave let out a deep sigh as he tightened his arm around the small blonde. Rolling his eyes at Lara, he pointed determinedly toward the open deck door as he ordered, "You apparently found your way in without any help. I trust that you can follow the cloven hoof prints you left back out. Now."

"Now, David," Lara drawled, pressing one perfectly manicured hand to her cheek. "Is that anyway to talk to a woman that went out of her way to drive out to the middle of nowhere to check if her husband was still alive and kicking?" she asked sweetly.

"First, I'm your ex-husband. I paid a huge sum of money to gain that privilege, Satan. Hours of being trapped in a courtroom with you assured me of that fact, and the writ of divorcement backs up my claim. If you recall, I asked the judge three times to make sure. Second, forgive me, but I find your concern a bit hard to fathom, considering the fact that you tried to kill me on more than one occasion in the not so distant past."

"Misunderstandings, David," Lara tsked, waving her hand in the air, much like she would if she was shooing away a pesky gnat that was annoying her for no apparent reason.

"Okay, I'll give you the food poisoning...I'm a generous guy," Dave retorted, jerking straighter in the long chaise lounge as he glared across the deck. "But there was no way to misunderstand you flooring the accelerator to that Jaguar in the driveway and trying to make me a grease stain on the pavement."

"I was overwrought," Lara said, almost as if she was reciting the words from a well-rehearsed script, shrugging as she looked beseechingly at JJ.

"You were deranged," Dave corrected, enunciating each word with a huff. "And by the look of things, that hasn't changed," Dave snorted. "Now, if you don't mind, Jennifer and I were attempting to enjoy our afternoon," he said, shifting JJ against him just as he felt the tiny woman drop her feet to the wooden deck.

"The man beside you is leaving out a few pertinent details," Lara explained with narrowed eyes as she caught JJ's cautious eyes. "Like what precipitated my moment of road rage."

"I really don't think that's any of my business," JJ murmured, shifting her gaze between the two warring factions, wondering exactly how she had managed to find herself in this position, caught between the man she loved and the woman that had once professed to love him. And something told her that she wasn't exactly going to be thrilled with the outcome of this decidedly tense tete-a-tete.

"Oh, but it could be, dear. Especially if you spend any amount of time with the man holding on to you for dear life," Lara said knowingly, moving to the deck chair and sitting down, crossing her long toned legs with precision.

"Oh, God, she sat down," Dave groaned, pinching his finger over the bridge of his nose. "Grab the water hose, Bella."

"David, do try to act civilized," Lara admonished with a becoming smile, cocking her head, her hair not moving an inch. "I know it's a stretch for you, but do try. For the sake of your lady love."

"My lady love knows how I am when my patience is tested. You know, like now," Dave growled, his cheeks flushing with irritation as he sat up straighter in the lounge, his fingers tightening against JJ's waist as he felt his stomach stretch uncomfortably for a moment.

"Dave, calm down," JJ murmured, casting him a worried sidelong glance as she felt his quick intake of breath. Glancing around the oversized deck, she wondered where in the world that garden hose would be hiding, his suggestion looking better and better.

"Now, where were we?" Lara murmured as she took advantage of the lull, pressing a pointed finger to her red lips. "Oh, yes, I believe I was about to share your dalliance that led me to allegedly try and murder you with my car."

"There was no dalliance, Lara. It was an affair. You know, in retaliation for the one you had with my editor," Dave retorted, stiffening as images of coming home from three weeks on a book tour to find his wife contorted into a position that he was fairly certain was illegal in thirty-six states. In his bed. Fortunately, he had the mattress immediately burned and the frame chopped up for firewood. "Besides, our marriage was completely over when I..."

"...slept with the college coed?" Lara supplied helpfully, her wrinkle-free eyes widening in mock-support.

"She was a professor, Lara. And I saw her until six months after our divorce was final," Dave hissed, seeing JJ's cheeks pale out of the corner of his eye. Oh hell, this was just what he needed the woman he'd fallen in love with to hear...evidence that he was capable of cheating. Reaching for JJ's hand, he tugged her closer as he murmured, lowering his voice for her to hear alone, "It's not as bad as it sounds, Bella."

"Sounds pretty bad to me," JJ muttered, glaring at Dave as she felt her heart began to pound, that interesting piece of information causing a clanging alarm to sound in her cautious mind. But, she reminded herself sternly, that was exactly what the woman wanted to happen, wasn't it? And JJ was not about to give her the satisfaction of allowing a reaction to cross her face.

"Oh, I assure you, we created quite a scandal," Lara nodded, leaning forward to pat JJ's knee as she threw a vicious grin in Dave's direction.

"I'm familiar with David and his scandalous past," JJ replied narrowly, turning on the lounge chair to meet the other woman's eyes. Drawing in a deep breath, she added, her voice even, "I just happen to find that in a lot of those situations there were extenuating circumstances."

"Oh," Lara drawled, smiling at Dave as she leaned back in her chair, "you've already got this one well-trained. Impressive, David," Lara complimented with wide eyes, her voice mock appreciative, "She's got claws."


	15. Chapter 15

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Looking the Other Way **

**Chapter Fifteen**

Tightening his arm around JJ as she stiffened against him, Dave slid his hands down her narrow sides as he growled, "Find your point, Lara, before I let her show them to you. Personally." If any woman could effectively make a point with the Devil Incarnate, it would be his Jennifer. He'd be willing to bet that she could do it without ever breaking a sweat, leaving the other woman decimated. Oh, if only…

"I meant it as a compliment," Lara sighed dramatically, her put upon air perfected throughout the years. "Why is it that I always offend the women?" she asked plaintively, not really expecting an answer.

"Don't ask me," Dave snorted as he silently begged whatever saint that might be listening to take pity upon him. Quickly. "This man finds you equally offensive," he informed her with solemn, straight-faced honesty.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Lara replied sweetly, lifting one delicate shoulder, letting it fall just as easily. "Especially since I'm here for a favor," she imparted, tapping one sharp talon against the wooden arm of her chair.

"A favor?" Dave repeated incredulously, his eyebrows rising almost to his hairline. "In what universe on what planet did you ever think I'd be willing to do you ANY favors, Satan?" His suspicions had just been proven to be true. The woman was officially nuts! Certifiably, undeniably, quantifiably, asylum-ready insane. But then, he told himself with a sharp nod, he'd known that all along, hadn't he? Those multiple attempts on his life had taught him a few valuable lessons. Namely, the woman before him was off her nut!

"Hear her out, Dave," JJ muttered, pinching his leg sharply as she kept her eyes on the obviously conniving interloper. "I'm beginning to think it might be the only way to get rid of her."

"How very astute of you," Lara smiled toward the younger woman, condescension filling her voice. "Smart, too," Lara said to Dave. "I'm growing more and more impressed."

"My tastes improved drastically after I escaped your evil clutches," Dave retorted caustically, glaring at the woman that had stolen a year of his life and was currently causing the afternoon he had planned to deteriorate before his very eyes. Why, oh why, hadn't he given in to those murderous urges a few years ago and removed her completely from his life?

"Oh, David," Lara shook her head, chuckling deliciously to herself at his obvious ignorance. "You aren't quite free yet," she grinned, her lips drawing tightly over her well-preserved face. "But you could be, very, very soon. IF you cooperate, that is."

"Just tell us what you want," Dave groaned, sliding his hand over JJ's arm, hoping his touch could reassure her of his devotion. "And then get the hell off my property." Looking at JJ, Dave muttered as he shook his head dismally, "I knew I should have bought a couple of Dobermans."

"She'd only sue you when they took a hunk out of her ass," JJ mumbled, easily recognizing a gold digger when she encountered one. And this chick, she was one of the best JJ'd ever seen. Now, if she could just as easily determine the one chink in the woman's armor, then she could find the way to remove this latest challenge to their life.

"Hell, babe, I paid for the ass, too," Dave said with an evil grin of his own. Hell, he'd paid for the entire body in one form or another. For the money he had spent, he honestly had felt like Dr. Frankenstein, recreating his own monster.

"You did not!" Lara huffed, her cheeks reddening, whether in anger or embarrassment, it was unclear.

"Please," Dave snorted, sliding his eyes clinically up and down his ex-wife, expertly measuring the various parts of her body that were currently filled with silicone, "You're what...two thirds plastic now, Lara?" He oughta know. Brow lifts, tummy tucks, ass lifts...the psychotic bitch seated in front of them had run the gamut with every popular plastic surgeon on the East Coast. Ruefully, he admitted to himself, however, that he shouldn't call her a bitch. The term was an affront to self-respecting female dogs everywhere.

Her plasticized face clenching, Lara narrowed one eye at Dave, calculation obvious in her gaze. Looking at JJ, she asked tightly, "Does he still need those little blue pills, dear? Do remember to give them to him every morning, otherwise, that equipment of his simply refuses to work," she said, turning to throw a cold smile at Dave.

"Wasn't the equipment, Esmerelda...it was the company," Dave bit back as JJ gaped, looking from one to the other with obvious disbelief in her eyes. Damn this spawn of Satan to hell, Dave thought darkly. He'd finally managed to get JJ to sit still long enough to profess love eternal, and now the single largest mistake in his past had reared her coiffed head. Great! Fucking perfect!

"Actually, I must agree," JJ drawled, her eyes narrowing in a perfect imitation of the woman who had once worn Dave's name. "I've been rather impressed with the equipment's performance," JJ grinned up at him, smoothing her hand over his thigh. "I've often thought the Energizer Bunny could take lessons from him," JJ said, turning to offer a snide grin at Lara. The woman had stated that she believed JJ had claws…now was the time to show her exactly how sharp they were. How dare that little slut cast dispersions on him?

"Hmmm...really...well, there's a chapter of my book that you'll have a bit of trouble with, then," Lara smiled.

"B-book?" JJ croaked, easily recognizing those words for the bombshell they were intended to be. Oh God, this got worse and worse with every passing second. How in the hell had Dave managed to allow this woman to hook him? He was a reasonably intelligent man, wasn't he? He'd certainly done a convincing impression of one with her.

"You're quick," Lara winked, her acrylic nails tapping casually against the wooden chair arm again. "I might have to go back and add a chapter about you, after all," she added with a grim smile.

"I'm sorry," Dave growled, tensing as he leaned forward, his eye narrowing. "Did that evil wench just say "book"?" Dave asked JJ over his shoulder, catching the obvious dismay reflected in those electric blue eyes.

"Yes," Lara nodded, answering for JJ, drawing his attention back to her. "I did. And I was very much hoping you'd be willing to share that editor of yours with me."

Watching as Dave's face began to purple with rage, JJ reached for his hand. "Breathe, Dave," she ordered, glaring at Lara over his shoulder as she rubbed her hand over his shoulders, reminding herself that they weren't that far removed from his recent surgery.

"You witch!" Dave bit out, banging his fist against the wooden edge of the lounge. "It wasn't enough that you made my life a living hell? You went and wrote a book about it, too?" he barked as JJ's soft hand grasped his arm, tugging him back.

"The Unauthorized Biography of David Rossi, Legendary Profiler and Best-Selling Author," Lara recited. "Although, I'd be willing to cut you in for a share of the profits if I can get you to sign off on it and drop the Unauthorized part of it," she offered, her voice taking on a gracious edge as dollar signs danced in her eyes.

"Over my cold, dead, rotting corpse," Dave yelled, his voice echoing against the wooden deck, off the far tree line, and over the next meadow, a flock of blackbirds taking flight suddenly at the blaring blast.

"Well, that would be my preference, too," Lara nodded affably, leaning back in her chair as she waited for the fireworks to begin. She always had enjoyed a good show, and if she knew her ex-husband at all, she was about to be vastly entertained.


	16. Chapter 16

**_Author's Note: Several notes today. Thanks to everyone still reading, reviewing, alerting and favoriting this story. We truly appreciate hearing from each one of you. Our new discussion forum, "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" is now up and running. Last I looked, it's the last forum listed on page two. Please go take a look. Ideally, it will have an update per day. Please let us know of any threads you'd like to discuss. "Getting To Know You" interviews will hopefully begin on Monday. This will probably be our last update until Sunday night._**

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Looking the Other Way**

**Chapter Sixteen**

Her eyes widening astronomically at the asteroid that had just been flung through their universe, JJ immediately tightened her grip on Dave's arm as she warned sharply, "Dave, pay attention to me. Watch every word you say in her presence. She's wanting a response that she can use against you."

"Oh, I'll give her more than just a response, Bella," he snorted, his fists banging against the wooden chair as he felt his blood pressure another notch. "I'll…"

"Dave…" JJ slapped her hand over his mouth, staring into his flashing dark eyes. "Shut up. Now. This is the time to call your lawyer, understand?"

That one simple word seemed to penetrate his anger-infused mind just then, and he pulled her hand away from his mouth only to slam his lips against hers.

"What in the world was that for?" JJ gasped as he finally pulled away, well aware of the audience they still had, try as she might to simply wish the woman away.

"That was for reminding me I have a lawyer. An extremely expensive, educated lawyer who is a damn barracuda 'cause I pay him to be," Dave replied, wrapping his arm around JJ's shoulder as he turned back toward his ex-wife. Smiling evilly as he met Lara's oh-so-innocent expression, he said, evenly, "And if Satan had remembered that, she would have also remembered that the divorce decree she signed had a clause in it. A clause that says that she can't profit from anything even remotely related to her status as one of my ex-wives. And that specifically included publications."

"You never have learned the fine art of reading the fine print, have you, Dave," Lara informed him with a slow smile, shaking her head in mock dismay. "That clause was only effective for one year from the date of the divorce decree. I can write anything I choose now. Including the sordid little details of your life," she winked, wagging a well-manicured finger in his direction. "Unless of course, you make it worth my while not to," she shrugged. "You see, I have a rather talented lawyer, as well."

Stiffening, Dave glared at a woman he'd once been deluded enough to believe he loved. "My exploits are no great secret, Lara. Either to the public or the woman beside me," Dave bit out, feeling JJ's hand tighten on his thigh.

"Oh, please, David," Lara huffed, dramatically rolling her eyes. "We both know you guard your privacy with an iron fist, despite those pesky rumors that always seem to surround you. Make this easy on yourself. Offer me a settlement. I'm amenable to offers," Lara invited graciously, smiling ever so sweetly as she genteelly folded her hands in her lap.

"I've got an offer for you, you gold-digging tramp. Get the hell off my property immediately and I won't have the nice boys in blue haul your ass to jail," Dave shouted, finally surging angrily to his feet as his fists bunched at his side. And in that moment, he seriously considered disobeying his sainted, dearly departed mother's ironclad rule that a gentleman must never hit a lady. And since Lara definitely didn't meet anyone's definition of a lady, he was fairly certain his mother would approve if he just sent the bitch flying over the railing with one shot, now wouldn't she?

Sighing deeply, Lara shook her head sadly. "I just knew you'd be unreasonable about this," she said with a roll of her eyes. "I'm sure once you have time to reflect on this, you'll see things my way." Rising to her feet, she smiled at JJ, cocking her head in an attempt at politeness. "It was a pleasure to meet you. Perhaps, if you stick around long enough, you'll manage to make it into my sequel. David, I'll be waiting for your call," Lara murmured as she glided across the deck, her stiletto heels tapping away at the weathered wood.

"When hell freezes, Lara!" Dave called to her departing back, his temper rising with each breath. Rounding on his heel to look at a white faced JJ, Dave held up a hand. "Don't say it!"

"Say what?" JJ croaked as she shook her head, still rocked by the horrid woman Dave had chosen to marry and divorce.

"That my taste in women sucked," Dave shuddered. "God, how could I have ever been so stupid..." Dave growled, smacking his fist against the wooden railing of the deck as he lapsed back and forth between Italian and English, staring up at the bright blue sky as if he was searching for divine intervention.

Dropping back to the chaise, JJ simply watched the man she loved rage, hoping he'd manage to rein himself in before he did serious injury to his stitches. As he finally lapsed into silence, simply staring out into the distance, JJ released the breath she'd been holding.

"It wasn't true," he said softly, not turning to face her, his words hanging in the warm afternoon air.

"What wasn't true?" JJ asked with a frown, watching his tense face clench again, that vein in his forehead bulging in a manner that didn't exactly instill confidence in his ability to avoid a stroke.

"What she said," he spat, unable to stomach uttering his ex-wife's name. That bitch had taken a perfectly wonderful afternoon and once more managed to shred it with an efficiency only she was capable of.

"Which part?" JJ asked softly, sensing that the man before her needed to give his answers in his own time.

"The affair," he replied, his fists hardening against the wood below them. "I never had an affair. I just let her think I did."

Raising her eyebrows at his revelation, JJ murmured, a sudden relief flooding through her unexpectedly, "Why?"

"Honestly, that woman mangled my dignity. I'd have done anything I could to hurt her. The idea of having an affair with a younger woman got to her. My so-called mistress was actually my therapist. That she-devil actually managed to drive me to seek professional help," he muttered, shaking his head ruefully at those memories, having honestly thought those days were long behind him in a past he could hopefully forget.

"No shame in that," JJ shrugged, her shoulders rubbing against the chaise cushion. "Personally, I feel like I could use a shrink right now and I only spent half an hour with her," JJ admitted with a smile. "But I am glad you told me the real story," she whispered, rising to stand beside him and nudging him with her shoulder.

"I couldn't let you think that I'd be unfaithful," Dave said quietly, staring down into her eyes, needing her to believe him…to believe in him. "I've committed a lot of sins, most of which you're aware of, but not that. And I don't intend to start now."

"We all have a past, Dave. I knew you had one when I went to bed with you months ago. I knew you had one when I told you I loved you. And I don't care anymore about it now than I did then," JJ assured him softly, slipping her hand in his and squeezing gently.

"I care, Bella. She deliberately set out to diminish me in your eyes," Dave replied darkly.

"She didn't succeed," JJ shook her head, leaning against him, rubbing her cheek against his shirt.

"Good," Dave muttered, wrapping his arms around her, burying his face in her silky hair as the sun shone on their joined bodies. "Because you're the one thing that I couldn't stand to lose."


	17. Chapter 17

******_Author's Note: Thanks to everyone still reading and reviewing our stories. We adore hearing from you. A few housekeeping notes for today...two interviews with two of our amazing fellow authors have been posted today at the discussion forum, "Chit Chat on Author's Corner". Foreverpadfoot and Dustytiger graciously agreed to be my first participants. Please check out their interviews at the forum and take a look at some of their wonderful work. If anyone has a favorite author that they'd like to see interviewed or learn more about, shoot me a PM and I'll see if they're amenable. As always, I really love hearing from you guys! It's an honor to be allowed to write for you. Thanks, again._**

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Looking the Other Way**

**Chapter Seventeen**

A few hours later, the sun having set in the western sky a good half hour earlier, Dave glanced up as he watched the tiny blonde make her way into his oversized den. Peering over the top of his reading glasses, his latest book draft held in one hand, he narrowed his eyes as he asked, "Where you been, Bella? I was beginning to think that you'd decided to leave me to my own devices."

"Like that would ever happen," JJ rolled her eyes as she sunk down on the couch beside him, turning sideways to face him as she leaned against the cushions. "The last time that happened, you managed to get yourself shot. I don't think we'll be repeating that again anytime soon."

"I keep telling you that I tried to duck," Dave grinned, pulling his glasses off and dropping them on the side table as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"That's not any funnier now than it was a few days ago, Dave," she groaned as she slapped lightly at his leg. "You're really not the jokester you like to think you are."

"So you keep telling me." Staring down into her bright eyes, a decidedly devious flash glimmering in those sapphire orbs, Dave asked warily, "But why do I have a feeling there's something you're not telling me right now, Bella? You look like the cat that swallowed the canary."

Shrugging as she leaned her shoulder against his, she grinned as she replied, evenly, "Can't a girl just enjoy the company of the guy she loves? Is there any law against that?"

"Hell, Jen, I don't care if we break every law Congress enacted since the turn of the century," he snorted back, tugging slightly on a loose strand of hair as he buried his hand in her silky strands. "But you're up to something. I can feel it. So start talking, babe, before I start investigating whatever nefarious acts you've been up to."

"Such a suspicious mind," JJ said in chastisement, patting her hand against his chest, mindful of the stitches that were hidden beneath his shirt. "You ought to be thanking me rather than doubting my noble intentions. Just for that, I might not tell you what Penelope just happened to find out about that evil witch that dared to attempt extortion this afternoon."

Grinning down at her, Dave snorted as he stretched his legs out, propping his feet on the coffee table. "Lara was right about one thing...she certainly brought your claws out."

"You have no idea," JJ shook her head, relaxing against him. "But I'm fairly certain that your ex-wife's book will be all but a passing nightmare in a few hours. Especially if she places as much value on her status as she does those silicone implants of hers."

"I take it that you and our resident technical genius found a few interesting details out on Cruella's life?" Dave chuckled, not at all surprised that this amazing woman had already taken matters into her own hands and enlisted the help of the one woman known to strike fear into the hearts of the FBI and CIA brass alike.

"You could say that," JJ said with a sniff, wondering, not for the first time what the man she loved had ever seen in the obvious beauty.

"Honey, I can handle the demon spawn," Dave murmured, pressing a kiss against her temple as her body settled more comfortably against his. "I've already called my attorney and he assures me that we can tie the bitch up in court for years. Our grandchildren will probably be entering college by the time the plastic piranha gets clearance to publish her so-called tell-all."

"Okay, we're gonna gloss over the grandchildren statement for a second," JJ laughed, pinching his side as she shifted against him. "Tell your attorney to stand down for the moment. Based on the information that Garcia managed to dig up on the last Mrs. Rossi, he won't be necessary. Unless, of course, she wants to explain the photographs of her in flagrante with some of D.C.'s upper echelon, performing lewd acts with both sexes while snorting what is very obviously an illegal substance."

Eyes widening as he turned toward her, Dave croaked in amazement, "Lara? Okay, the sex acts...I get that. Trust me, the position I found her in when I came back from the book tour...let's just say that it was obvious that I was a tame man by comparison. But the drugs...she always proclaimed that her body was a temple...a temple filled with plastic," Dave amended, "but, still, a temple."

"Photographic evidence doesn't lie," JJ shrugged easily, rubbing her fingers against his soft cotton shirt. "I forwarded it to your email," she informed him, pausing deliberately, then adding with a smug smile, "And hers."

"Remind me never to cross you," Dave replied with admiration, never ceasing to be amazed by this woman's sundry and varied skill sets.

"She threatened someone I love," JJ said defensively, stiffening her shoulders as she turned sideways on the couch. "Did you really just think I'd sit around for that?"

"I guess I just didn't expect you to act so fast," Dave replied softly, stroking her arm, feeling her muscles start to relax underneath his touch. "And your solution will certainly come a lot cheaper than mine," he chuckled, pulling her back against him as he pressed a kiss into her hair.

"I merely used the resources at my disposal. Garcia and a bad attitude make formidable allies," JJ grinned, her satisfaction obvious in her relaxed posture.

"While I appreciate Garcia's valued assistance, my biggest ally is sitting right beside me," Dave said softly, lacing his fingers with hers as he shifted her legs to lie across his. "And I'm very grateful to have you in my life."

"Well," JJ smiled, tucking closer to his warm body, "You're in luck since I don't plan on leaving it...especially not because of some Malibu Barbie intent on causing trouble in my happy home."

"Actually, it was Bel Air Barbie," Dave muttered, rolling his eyes as he shuddered at the memory.

"You aren't helping yourself, Dave," JJ replied narrowly, smacking his leg.

"Sorry," Dave smirked, wriggling his eyebrows as he pressed a quick kiss to her lips. "I just can't believe you went on a one woman mission to save me from Satan."

"Yeah, well, I'm going to want your solemn vow that you'll never be so stupid again as to get anywhere near that kind of woman...even in passing," JJ ordered with a pointed look, daring him to defy her command. Honest to goodness, she hadn't just almost lost him to a psychotic unsub, then nursed him back to health to have their perfect life ruined by some wily wannabe with a grudge.

"Babe, I haven't been able to see any other woman but you for a hell of a long time now. I think I'm safe," Dave winked, losing himself in her bright blue eyes, the flashes of intelligence and love he saw there drawing him deeper and deeper.

"Hmmm, see that you stay that way," JJ retorted, jabbing a stern finger at his chest as she felt herself start to weaken underneath his continuous gaze. "Because, I swear, I'll make Cruella Deville look like child's play compared to what I do to you. Remember, I've got Garcia on my side," JJ said smugly.

"And that alone is inducement enough for any man to walk the straight and narrow," Dave laughed, pulling JJ's willing body into his lap as he prepared to show her exactly how committed he was to their ideal relationship.


	18. Chapter 18

**_Author's Note: Thank you so much for the continued support of the readers. Your reviews and PMs mean a lot! Please check out the new thread on our discussion forum "Chit Chat on Author's Corner". It's called "The Power of the Almighty Review". Thanks!!_**

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Looking the Other Way**

**Chapter Eighteen**

Grinning down at JJ's peacefully sleeping face, her hand pressed against her cheek in an almost artistic pose, David Rossi couldn't help but wonder how he had ever considered having a casual relationship with this angel.

Well, he mentally corrected himself as he shifted in the bed, pulling her warm body closer as she slept, he had to admit that while he had started the relationship intending to avoid any form of commitment, he had realized quickly, very quickly, that Jennifer Jareau wasn't a passing fancy. No, she was everything that he had spent his entire five decades searching for, the embodiment of every perfection that he had ever dreamed about. And now that he had her in his life, now that he had admitted how much he wanted her, needed her, loved her, he wanted more.

He wanted the forever that he had never allowed himself to believe existed. But with her, he knew that the impossible became possible.

The early morning sun bouncing lightly around the room, sneaking through the corner windows to bathe the darkened room with varying shades of warmth. Rolling slightly as he felt a pulling sensation in his side, a tangible reminder of an angry bullet, he couldn't stop the smile that swept his face again as he heard her soft sigh, almost inaudible in the room. But he heard it, that sound of contentment that he had grown to love because it signified her complete faith, her complete relaxation in his arms. She trusted him, and he felt the enormity of responsibility.

And he wanted to spend the rest of his life protecting her, caring for her….loving her.

Which was why he knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he was going to do something that he had sworn he would never do again. Something that he had promised himself was in his past, never to be even considered. But circumstances had changed, and he was a smart enough man to realize a second chance when he was holding it in his arms.

Today, David Rossi was going to propose marriage to Jennifer Jareau. And he could only hope that she loved him enough to say yes.

Stretching languidly beside him and tangling one leg with his under the covers, JJ slowly cracked open one eye as she looked up at her lover, his dark eyes filled with an emotion she couldn't quite identify at this hour of the morning. "Do I want to know what's got that conniving look in your eye this early in the morning?"

"You say conniving, I say cunning," he rumbled as she rolled into his good side. "How'd you sleep?" he asked, brushing a kiss to her mussed hair as he pulled her even closer.

"Mmmm," JJ smiled, loving the feel of his warm hand sliding underneath her t-shirt, the breadth of his palm sliding across her sensitized skin. "I slept very well. Especially knowing that our unexpected visitor received her answer to her book offer."

Laughing against her cheek, Dave shook his head. "You, my love, are truly vicious when provoked," Dave noted, remembering the satisfaction that had flooded him when he'd received Lara's furious call late last night. His ex-wife had received her warning loud and clear. And after several minutes of blistering language….hers, not his….she'd agreed to shelve her book with his solemn vow those incriminating photographs in JJ's possession would never see the light of day. A truce had been reached, with both parties retreating to their respective corners.

"Remember that, buster, the next time you're tempted to piss me off," JJ replied, pressing a kiss to his neck as his sneaky hands wandered higher, cupping one of her full breasts underneath her shirt.

Nuzzling her neck, Dave murmured, "I have no desire, whatsoever, to piss you off, Jen. Quite the opposite, really."

Easing onto her back at his gently insistent nudging, JJ grinned as his strong body followed hers. "Really?" she murmured, gasping as his lips found that ultra-sensitive spot behind her ear, exploiting it wickedly.

"Oh, yeah," Dave agreed, sliding his hands underneath her shirt again to gently stroke her breasts. "In fact, I have a plan that includes making you and me both very, very happy."

"And would this plan be doctor approved?" JJ asked slowly, moaning as his lips dropped to the flesh of her exposed tummy.

"Better," Dave muttered, pushing her loose shirt upwards as he trailed kisses across her chest. "It's a Rossi approved plan."

Sinking her teeth into her lower lip as his lips found her breast, JJ shivered as she felt his familiar touch. "This is not a good idea, Dave," JJ babbled, her mind struggling to work above the stirring sensations he was creating with his mouth. "Your doctor..."

"...will understand," Dave interrupted fluidly, shifting his attention to her other breast. "I'm fine, Bella. Relax."

Opening her mouth to protest again, she failed in her mission as Dave quickly met her lips, effectively silencing her as his mouth coaxed hers apart, delving inside to greet her with the first of many kisses of the morning.

She was beaten. She knew it and he knew it. Wrapping her arms around him as his body pressed hers into the comfortable mattress, JJ surrendered to the desire building between them. Lifting her hips as he slid her shirt up her hips, she moaned against his lips. "You have to be careful," she whispered against his mouth, her one last ditch attempt to protect him, to keep him safe.

"You worry way too much," Dave smiled, his fingers finding her damp core instantly.

Her mind short circuited the moment his fingertips found her, all coherent thought dissolving as his electrifying touch sent shock waves echoing through her. Quivering in his arms as his presence seemed to manage to invade each one of her body's cells, JJ panted as she arched closer to him, "Dave! Oh God, Dave!"

"Don't even try to fight it, Bella," Dave gasped, tightening his jaw against the sensations threatening to engulf him. "Just go with it," he breathed, his body flexing against hers as they both reached for fulfillment.

Moaning as she felt him surge inside her, she heard his sudden intake of air in her ear. "Dave?" she asked worriedly, looking up into his clenched face, frantically searching for pain amid the pleasure.

Pulling her with him as he rolled to his back, Dave shook his head. "I'm fine," he whispered reassuringly, lifting his head to capture her lips as one hand warmly cupped her behind. "Just needed a change in position," he groaned as she sank down on him. "This is much better," he whispered between kisses.

"Are you..." JJ began, her concerned face drawing back to study him.

"Bella, I'm positive that you're killing us both right now," he laughed, biting her neck gently. "Now, move," he insisted, bumping his groin against her and pulling a gasp from her parted lips. "Or I can roll us back over and finish this my way," he threatened wickedly, trailing his tongue against her neck.

"Oh!" JJ panted in response, her back arcing as she slowly began moving on top of him.

"That's it, Bella," Dave growled, his hands tightening around her hips. "Just like that," he panted, her tight walls closing around him in the most painfully sweet way imaginable.

"Oh, God, Dave," JJ moaned, burying her face against his chest as her release built, unfurling inside her.

"Yes!" Dave growled, pumping his hips against her sweet warmth as she tightened around him. "God, yes!" he grunted, gripping her thigh as he surged upwards, desperate to feel more of her around him. "Te amo, tesoro," he shouted, gripping her hair and pulling her face to his to seize her lips as he exploded. "I love you," he whispered raggedly, his hips still jerking against hers as her soft scream of ecstasy was swallowed by his lips.

Long minutes later, their sweaty bodies still tangled in an unceremonious heap on the center of his oversized bed, JJ finally found the strength to lift her head from his chest. "I love you, too," she whispered, his earlier words still echoing in her ears.

"Mmm," he hummed contentedly, tucking her hair behind her ear as he watched the morning sun bounce off of her satiated face. "Then maybe you wouldn't mind doing me a favor?"

"What's that?" JJ grinned, expecting a request for water or pain pills or some equally inane thing.

"Marry me, Bella."


	19. Chapter 19

******_Author's Note: Thanks to everyone following, reviewing, alerting and favoriting our stories. We continue to appreciate your ongoing support. Please, travel over to our discussion forum, "Chit Chat on Author's Corner". Today we've posted a great "Getting To Know" interview with the very talented hxchick, author of "An Unconventional Family". As ever, we don't own Criminal Minds._**

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Looking the Other Way**

**Chapter Nineteen**

Blinking as she stared into his solemn dark eyes, JJ was positively certain that she had just had a momentary lapse of consciousness. Or perhaps she was still asleep and dreaming, although she wasn't sure whether she would classify this as a nightmare or dream come true. She shook her head rapidly, attempting to dispel what must have been a hallucination, as she asked, her tongue sticking against the roof of her mouth, "I'm sorry. What did you just say?"

Smiling as he cupped her suddenly pale cheek, Dave repeated patiently, enunciating every word, "I asked if you would marry me."

Swallowing hard as she felt her eyes widen astronomically at those words, JJ muttered, "That's what I thought you said."

"Well, now that you've heard it twice, maybe you've got an answer for me," Dave replied evenly, his fingers dropping to her long neck, her pulse bouncing in ever-increasing rapids against his thumb.

Pulling straight up in the bed, JJ struggled for the dark navy sheet as she tucked the covers around her naked body. Cocking her head to the side, she stared down at the man she had grown to love as she asked, completely serious, "Dave, how can you ask me that question when less than twenty-four hours ago we were dealing with the fallout from your last attempt at marriage? I don't think marriage has exactly been a positive influence in your life."

So much for having his proposal accepting amid the haze of a beautiful post-coital glow, Dave thought derisively. Hell, he guessed there was a first time for everything. Settling back against the pillows, Dave slide a gentle hand over JJ's suddenly tense spine. "Maybe that's because I hadn't met the right woman yet, Bella."

"Or maybe you're full of shit," JJ snorted derisively, stiffening as she felt his fingers sliding down her back. "Why the hell did you have to go and ruin a perfectly wonderful morning with a marriage proposal?" she huffed as she jerked the soft sheet around her bare shoulders, slapping his bare leg with a sharp slap.

"Ouch!" Dave yelped as he jerked away from her battering fingers. "Damn it, Jen. That stung!" he muttered, rubbing his offended thigh. "Let me just say that your response isn't exactly the stunning declaration of love I was hoping for either," he grumbled, lifting his gaze to eye her accusingly as he stuffed another pillow behind his head.

"Oh, don't you dare give me that look," JJ directed, pursing her lips. "You had to know that I wasn't going to be your average girl, Dave. We've barely gotten used to the idea that we're in a committed relationship and you go spouting marriage proposals."

"Well, excuse me all over the damn place for falling in love with a beautiful woman and wanting to make our relationship permanent," Dave huffed, slapping his hand against the mattress. "Call me crazy, but I thought that's what you were supposed to do when you found the woman you wanted to spend the rest of your life with."

"There's a small problem with your logic there, Rossi. In case you missed it, you found that so-called woman three times before me with less than stellar results, the latest of which I just got finished dealing with," JJ argued, glaring at him over her shoulder as she wrapped her arms around her knees, her thoughts scattering in a million directions as she tried to comprehend how they had moved from sharing a bed to professions of love to a sudden marriage proposal.

"So, I'm assuming this is a no," Dave muttered as he threw his head back against the propped pillows, cursing the capricious fates that seemed determined to torture him with his past failures.

"Did I say no?" JJ snapped, her stomach clenching as she tightened her grip on the sheet. God, she wasn't prepared for this. She hadn't had time to get prepared for this...she'd never even suspected this sneak attack was on the horizon. But she should have known better. Wasn't this infuriating man waiting for her reply known world-wide for his wiliness?

"You didn't say yes," Dave drawled, scooting up the mattress to prop against the headboard of the bed. Watching as she dropped her head against her knees, Dave sighed. Hell, he should have waited. But, damn, when a guy finally figured out that what he'd been missing his entire life was lying right beside him, he naturally wanted to make sure it was lying next to him for the rest of his life. And he knew, beyond anything, it was THIS woman he wanted next to him until the end of his days. "Jennifer, come here," he demanded softly, reaching his hand out to rest on her covered ankle. "Please."

Squeezing her eyes shut, JJ tightened her arms around her knees as she shook her head. "No," she replied, the word muffled by the navy sheets she had her face pressed against. "You'll just soften me up with sweet words and promises and I can't afford to go soft right now."

"Even if those sweet words and promises are the complete and utter truth?" Dave asked sincerely, noticing her shoulders relax slightly at his calm words. "Come on, sweetheart," Dave urged, rubbing his hand against her covered leg, "the scab's already been ripped off, we might as well see how bad the damage is."

Lifting her head, JJ winced as she rolled her eyes in his direction. "You're referring to your marriage proposal as a scab? Appetizing, Dave."

"Hey, I write about serial killers," Dave shrugged, letting himself feel an ounce of relief as he caught the flash in her bright blue eyes. "Pretty language isn't exactly my forte," he defended himself. "Now, please, come here." Trying not to smile as he heard her muttering to herself about the injustice that was man, he held his arm out, wordlessly inviting her to snuggle against him. Sighing in relief as she accepted the unspoken invitation, Dave whispered against her tussled blonde hair, "See, doesn't that feel better?"

"Don't be smug about it," JJ warned, rubbing her cheek against his chest, trailing her fingers through the thick mat of hair.

"I'm not. I'm too grateful right now to be smug," he explained, pressing a kiss to the top of her head as her body conformed to his. Silent a few moments, he whispered against her temple, "You know how much I love you, Jen."

Nodding as she snuggled closer, JJ bit her lip before saying uncertainly, "Love isn't the problem, Dave. I know you love me. And I know with just as much certainty that I love you. The problem is that you've got a really bad track record at marriage. And I'd rather have us live in sin forever and be happy than marry you and have it end a few years later in bitter acrimony. I don't wanna be mad enough to write a tell-all book about you one day!"


	20. Chapter 20

******_Author's Note: Many, many thanks to all the wonderful readers taking time to review, favorite and alert our stories. We are truly grateful to each of you. Please travel over to our new forum, "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" and check out our latest interview with the lovely, talented JenRar. We also have a new thread started called, "Grins and Grimaces of the Fanfiction Site". Hope you all find something there that you enjoy. And as ever, if any of you have any requests for threads or author interviews, please let us know. We love hearing from you. Thanks so much! See you Tuesday!_**

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Looking the Other Way**

**Chapter Twenty**

"Hell, JJ," Dave replied, letting himself grin in spite of the seriousness of her question, "That's one worry you don't have to dwell on. I can guarantee you that this marriage won't be anything like my previous three. You'll kill me first before we'd ever get to the point of you writing an expose, and I know it."

"Don't joke, Dave," JJ warned him, swatting at his hand as he tried to draw her closer. Tugging the sheet tighter around her bowed body, she muttered, "This is not a laughing matter. I'm being serious here."

Letting out a deep sigh as he met her troubled eyes, Dave groaned as he shook his head. "You think I'm not? Damn, woman, if there's one thing I've known from the beginning, it's that you won't put up with any of my shenanigans. And I've also learned that I don't have any desire to be with anyone else or do anything that's going to hurt you. That's the difference, babe. You've changed me, and made me want to be a better man."

"Words, Dave, can only go so far," JJ countered, dropping her eyes back to the pale sheet as she found his gaze too intense to bear. "You say that now, but what if…."

"We've lived through the what ifs, how abouts and could have beens, Jen," Dave interrupted, cocking one eyebrow as he waited for her to meet his gaze again. Shifting against the mound of pillows, he continued, "I'm not much for living in the past, especially when I know I've got the perfect future just lying in front of me. I know what I've got this time, babe. I'd like to think I'm smart enough to keep it. And I'll be damned if I let you…let us…slip away when I know we can be good together."

"We're good together right now, Dave, you're right. I don't see why you'd want to complicate that with something that you've proven you aren't good at," JJ mumbled against her knees, her chin bouncing against the sheet. "I've done the math, Rossi. Your longest marriage lasted a grand total of seven years. Your shortest didn't even make it to the year benchmark."

"And my first wife left me because she couldn't stand feeling like she was in our marriage alone, Jen. She. Left. Me. I was never home. Between the case load the BAU had then and the fact that we only had a handful of profilers, I was always gone. I don't blame her for wanting out. I wasn't there to be a husband," Dave explained quietly, his memories of Deborah fond, but distant. She'd been a good woman forced into a rotten position, one neither one of them could have predicted. And he readily shared responsibility for the dissolution of that marriage. He could have attempted to lessen his caseload, but he hadn't, his driven need to succeed giving him tunnel vision. Back then, his only objective had been to catch the unsub. At all costs.

"And?" JJ prodded, listening to his words as she watched the memories play in his dark eyes.

"And, you and I wouldn't have that particular problem. You and I share the same profession to an extent, JJ. We both know what this kind of career entails. We understand it. And we can work around it," Dave replied confidently, stroking his fingers against her covered foot again, wanting to maintain some connection with her.

"Maybe," JJ admitted grudgingly, her lips pursing for a moment as she considered that thought. God knew, she'd had enough men in her life that soon tired of the ungodly demands of the BAU. And Dave made an interesting point. Since they traveled together on cases, they wouldn't be separated by the requirements that defined their jobs. Silently conceding that point in his favor, JJ cocked an eyebrow as she demanded, "Okay, what about the second wife, Dave? Why did that end? And tell me the truth. We both know that I'll know if you're lying."

Smiling faintly at her petulant voice, he nodded, acknowledging that very fact. "Yeah, you would. Unlike most women I've known, you manage to see right through whatever shield I throw up."

"Yes, I do, so remember that when you're telling me your version of events that transpired," JJ warned him, wriggling against the soft mattress as she tried to find a more comfortable position.

"Jen, my marriage with Grace was complicated. We both went into it for all the wrong reasons," Dave hedged, dropping his eyes for a moment. None of those reasons made either of the parties involved look bright and shining, and if there was a marriage that he had a hard time discussing; it was that one. However, he was also strongly aware that she was not going to allow the subject to magically disappear, whatever his thoughts might be.

"Such as?" JJ prompted impatiently, scooting up the bed to lean against the headboard, her posture mirroring his on the large bed.

"Sweetheart, this isn't exactly a comfortable conversation for me to have," Dave muttered, shifting onto his side and laying a palm against her stomach. "I don't generally have to lay my soul bare in one sitting."

"We're having this conversation, Dave. Or our previous discussion ends here and now," JJ said levelly, pulling one of the pillows from his side of the bed to tuck behind her back. "I deserve to know what happened between you and the previous Mrs. Rossi's. Especially now, since you want me to become what I assume will be the last Mrs. Rossi."

"Of course you'll be the last Mrs. Rossi," Dave growled, glaring at her as his jaw clenched uncontrollably.

"Wonder how many of the others you told that to," JJ replied evenly, merely raising an eyebrow as she shifted her legs against the pillow-top mattress.

"Low blow, Jen," Dave winced, his eyes closing for a moment before he turned another glare in her direction.

"The truth often hurts," JJ shrugged, unconcerned with his momentary pain. "I have to know the status quo before I make any decisions. And understanding how your previous marriages dissolved is part of it. You had to know that I wouldn't just walk blindly into this with you."

And he did know that. If there was one thing he'd learned about the beautiful woman sharing his bed, it was that she guarded her heart and her privacy with equal ferocity. She wouldn't give either freely. And for her hand in marriage, this inquisition was a small price to pay, he supposed. But damn, she was determined. Like a dog going after a bone. But, she was right, he knew she would never make anything less than an informed decision regarding him. And she was resourceful. If she didn't find her answers from him, he had no doubt she'd seek them elsewhere.

He only hoped she'd keep an open mind over the next several minutes.


	21. Chapter 21

******_Author's Note: A quick thanks to everyone still following along with our stories. We genuinely appreciate each one of you. Please, travel on over to our forum, "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" and read our latest interview with the multi-talented bonesbird. As ever, we don't own Criminal Minds._**

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Looking the Other Way**

**Chapter Twenty-One**

He only hoped she'd keep an open mind over the next several minutes.

Watching as she stared down at him, her eyebrow perfectly cocked in an unspoken command. And being the intuitive man that he was, Dave realized that her patience for his stalling tactics was waning rapidly. Swallowing, he started, slowly, "Grace and I found ourselves in a situation that many couples encounter. And we based a life-changing decision on that situation."

Staring down at his guarded expression as she attempted to decipher those cryptic phrases, JJ muttered, shaking her head, "I'm going to need a bit more information than that, Dave."

Letting out a sigh, Dave flopped back onto his side of the bed, staring up at the crown molding around the edge of the ceiling for a moment as he attempted to clarify his thoughts enough to explain them to her. "We were both in the middle of our careers, JJ. Grace was on the fast-track in the Solicitor's General office, kicking legal ass all over the Justice Department. We met and we fell in heat almost overnight."

"I know that feeling," JJ muttered as she shifted against her pillow, her eyes tracking the sudden tightening of his jaw as he seemed to be carefully considering his responses. That thought alone sent a sinking feeling into the pit of her stomach, knowing full well that the man she loved usually spoke first and thought second. The reversal in that method seemed to signal that this situation might be far more complicated than she actually wanted to know. But since she had instigated this conversation, she was committed to seeing it through.

Her comment barely registering as he let his mind drift back to that time he had hoped to never visit again, Dave continued slowly, his eyes still glued to the ceiling, "We'd been together for about two years, committed but not completely ready for that final commitment, when Grace called me one Wednesday and said that we had to meet that night. I had just come off five weeks of back-to-back custodial interviews and my mood wasn't that great." Pausing for a moment as he shifted in the bed again, pushing himself up against the thick pillows to sit up straight, Dave added then, his tone dry, "I'll rephrase that. My mood was bastard level at best. Not the best emotional state to be in when your girlfriend tells you that she's pregnant, is it?"

Dave watched, almost dispassionately, as JJ's eyes widened exponentially, his words clearly not the explanation she'd originally expected. Even years later, the events of that time in his life still had the power to render him inconsolable, Grace's reaction to the unexpected pregnancy too heinous for him still to wrap his mind around. Clearing his throat again, he fisted his hands in the covers, the thick cotton sheet bunching harshly in his grip. "She was less than thrilled about the notion of motherhood. In hindsight, I should have seen that Grace had one true love. Her career. She was ready, willing and able to make any sacrifice for it. But I insisted that night that we get married. We'd been together for a couple of years. I was sleeping only with her. And it seemed like the logical decision. She knew I wasn't any more in love with her than she was with me. But I wanted that child," Dave murmured, his voice trailing off, his thoughts coming unbidden as he valiantly attempted to forget those memories, to forget that desire that had seemed to burn in his gut as he had once grasped tightly to the thoughts of creating a life.

Seeing the genuine pain reflected in his eyes, JJ felt her stomach roll violently, her thoughts already running rampant into a decidedly negative direction. There was no way this story had a happy ending. Dave was childless. And that meant something had happened...and judging from the way he spat his ex-wife's name like it was poison in his mouth, she had a fairly good idea what had transpired. "Dave," she said softly, reaching out to smooth her hand over his clenched fist, rubbing her thumb against his white knuckles, "You don't have to..."

"No," Dave replied tersely, barely acknowledging her touch as he stared straight up at the ceiling again, knowing that if he met her penetrating eyes, he might not be able to continue . "You need to know everything going in...that way, there's no miscommunication."

"Okay," JJ whispered, taking a small measure of comfort in the fact that he hadn't pulled his hands away, that he was letting her offer a small measure of comfort.

"I forced her hand the night that she told me. She told me then that she didn't want the baby and I knew what she was talking about. But, I had already made a name for myself in the legal community by then, and I threatened to use my considerable pull if she did anything to...you know," Dave said through a clenched jaw, unable to voice the word yet, to give power to the awful act.

"I understand," JJ nodded solemnly, her heart hurting for him and what inevitably must have happened. Rolling on her side, she pressed closer against his stiff arm, resting her chin against his shoulder as she allowed him to continue at whatever pace he chose.

"I married her that Saturday. A quickie ceremony in Vegas. Monday, a prestigious law firm in New York offered her a partner position. News of her marriage to me catapulted her to the top. Exactly a week from the day she told me I was going to be a father, she murdered my child," Dave ground out, his cheeks flushing with rage, the mere memory of that dark day dimming the joy he'd previously felt this morning.

"God," JJ gasped, horrified by the callous act of the faceless woman. Not a single part of JJ's psyche was able to comprehend how that woman had placed everything else in her life above any feelings she might have had for this amazing man and the life they had created together.

"She moved out that Thursday and I never saw her again. JJ, I've never hit a woman in my life, but that night...I could have killed her with my bare hands. I filed for divorce immediately and it went through uncontested six months later. I don't think I ever trusted a woman again until I met you. Not even Lana. Which was just another reason I shouldn't have married her."

"God, Dave," JJ whispered, her eyes filled with unshed tears as he turned to meet her eyes, "I had no idea," she shook her head slowly as she stared into his dark gaze. "I thought I had issues with trust, but what she put you through...it's a miracle that you want to be with anyone."

"I knew you were different from the day I walked back into the BAU," he said, smiling faintly as he remembered that first moment in Hotch's office, her enthusiasm tempered perfectly by her professionalism, both drawing him with invisible strings. "You were so direct...so attuned to the needs of the team. And your eyes held this unapologetic honesty. I was hooked."

"You were not," JJ grinned, leaning over to press a soft kiss against his lips, letting her lips linger as she felt his hands drop possessively to her hips.

"You're so very wrong, Babe. You had me from the word go. You just didn't realize it," he winked, returning the kiss, keeping the touch light as he allowed his mind to shift to the present, to leave the past where it belonged. "But if I had any doubt at all, when you followed me to Indianapolis to help me, that cured it. Nobody had put my needs first in more years than I want to think about. It was a novel experience to look up and see that beautiful face of yours. I thought I was imagining things, and then you opened your mouth and reamed me out for not including the rest of you."

"Tell me, did any of the previous Rossi brides know about this sentimental streak you have?" JJ said with a slow smile, sighing as she settled closer against him, feeling the warmth from his body begin to seep into hers.

"No," Dave said firmly, narrowing his eyes in a mock-glare, relaxing even more as he shifted lower against the pillows, tugging her with him. "And I'd appreciate it if you didn't share that particular secret," Dave snorted, cupping her cheek gently, his touch filled with something stronger than words could ever convey.

"Oh, your secrets are safe with me, Dave," JJ promised solemnly, the feel of his chest rising and falling beneath her reminding her of exactly how important their life together was. And she would always ensure that his secrets remained private. Now and forever, she added to herself.

Nodding, Dave sighed as he closed his eyes for a moment, feeling her shift over him, her body settling perfectly against his. "You've met wife number three. And I think you can figure out everything you need to know from your introduction. And that's it. You know all the sordid, scandalous secrets of my life. The question is, JJ, are you going to hold those mistakes against me?"


	22. Chapter 22

**_Author's Note: Thanks to everyone still following our stories. We absolutely adore hearing from you. And please, travel over to our forum, "Chit Chat on Author's Corner", for two more interviews with the talented authors, LoveforPenandDerek and egoofy34!_**

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Looking the Other Way**

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

In all of her thirty-something years, Jennifer Jareau was certain that she had never faced a question filled with such meaning as the one David Rossi had just presented for her consideration. If she said no, that his past didn't matter anymore, then she was potentially placing herself in a dangerous position to be hurt in the future if something went horribly wrong. But if she said yes, that those glaring mistakes and women in his past were too much for her to handle, then she might very well be throwing away the best thing…the best man..that had ever entered her life.

Swallowing hard as she felt his eyes boring into hers, his gaze filled with a not-so-patient longing, JJ rested her chin against his solid chest as she let out a deep sigh. While her well-honed judgment was demanding that she listen to reason and not willingly risk her future, her heart steadily reminded her, over and over and over, that this was the man that she loved even when she hadn't admitted it to herself. The man that she had feared losing to a malicious bullet. The man that had just bared his soul to her without any promise of a future together.

Blinking once as she felt her rampant thoughts suddenly quiet to a dull roar, JJ slid her hands up to his cheek as she whispered, shaking her head as her long blonde hair slid against his skin, "Your past matters, Dave. But I think our future matters more. And I have to believe that we can make a future together that can outweigh anything that might have happened before."

Feeling a grin of relief swell his face as her soft words seemed to float against him, Dave let out a deep breath he didn't even realize he had been holding as he moaned, "God, woman, I love you. But you just about gave me a heart attack waiting for your answer."

"Did I say "yes" and forget I said it?" JJ teased sweetly, dropping a kiss against her lover's neck as she shifted against him, letting herself burrow a bit closer to his warm body. "I thought I just said that I wanted a future with you."

"Wh-what?" Dave stuttered as he felt the foundation flip beneath him, his face twisting comically as he lowered his head to peer at her impish face.

"Don't hyperventilate, Rossi," JJ laughed, patting his solid chest as she winked, enjoying the moment of relief that had seemed to surround them. "I'm only kidding."

"Could I please get a serious, direct answer over here before the coronary I threatened you with becomes a reality?" Dave growled, rolling JJ to her back to hover over her, sliding his fingers into her silky blonde hair as his thumbs stroked her cheeks.

"Hmmm, well, it's difficult to accept a marriage proposal when we haven't even done the simple things yet," JJ murmured, her blue eyes lifting to hold his, knowing that their relationship, while strong, still had a few challenges to overcome.

"Name them and we'll fix that immediately," Dave replied quickly, nodding once as he narrowed his eyes, waiting impatiently for the demands yet to come from the woman that he truly loved.

"Well, there's introducing me to your family. At least you've actually met my mother. I wouldn't know any of your relatives if they bit me on the ass," JJ accused, tugging his matted chest hair, that slight wince of pain on his face informing her that her point had been understood.

Covering her hand with a warm palm to forestall any future injuries, Dave shrugged as he dropped a quick kiss to her knuckles. "Easily rectified, though there isn't much family left to meet. Papa lives on the outskirts of the city in a retirement village and I'll call my sisters. You'll be able to say you know them by the end of the week."

Smiling at the rapid words flowing from his mouth, JJ replied with an arched brow as she leaned back against her soft pillow, "In some kind of hurry, Rossi?"

"You know me, Bella. Why delay something that will make both of us happier?" Dave asked back, thinking it a rhetorical question.

"Because," JJ said patiently, squeezing his strong hand for emphasis, "If we take the time and do this the way it should be done, this marriage won't end as your others did."

"Ya know, I really wasn't looking to have that question answered, Jen," Dave muttered, not liking where it seemed her answer was heading. And in that moment, his earlier relief and elation at what he perceived to be her agreement to their marriage suddenly faded, and he was left with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. "Are you saying no, JJ?" Dave asked warily.

Staring at him for a long moment, mulling her words over in her mind before she just blurted out any old answer, JJ shook her head carefully. "No, I'm saying, yes, I very much would love to become your last wife. But I do have a couple of conditions that you need to understand and accept."

It was a far cry from the response he hoped he'd see from her, but his breath came a little easier as his mind explained to his heart that she HAD actually given him an affirmative answer. "Conditions, huh?" he queried softly, tucking a strand of her messy hair behind her ear, needing something to keep his suddenly trembling hands occupied. "There's a word that makes me shudder."

"Hey, you asked for direct," JJ charged unapologetically, letting her cheek rest against his palm for a second as she stared up at his slowly relaxing smile. His rich black hair strongly contrasted the warm sunlight filtering through the bedroom window, and she was reminded for a moment of the differences in their life, in their histories. Forcing herself back to the conversation, she raised an eyebrow as she added, pointedly, "This is me being direct."

"Touché," Dave said, inclining his head slightly. "Name your terms, babe, and let's negotiate."

"Okay, first, I'm not giving up the career that I worked my ass off for. Not now and not ever," JJ declared succinctly, tapping her tapered index finger against his arm as she emphasized her point. "I want that clear from the word "go"."

"Jen, I've made it clear that I don't expect you to do that," Dave sighed as he rolled to the side, allowing his head to fall back against the pillow behind him. "Hell, the fact that we share the same profession to some extent is one of the things that convinces me that we work better in a lot of ways than any woman I've ever been involved with. You understand the rigors of the job, honey. You get that there are times that you're so overwhelmed by the things we've seen that it's literally impossible to communicate with another person."

"I know," JJ nodded, recognizing the validity in his words, but knowing that many marriages had failed due to failing to discuss this very topic. "But, I feel obligated to put it out there between us, Dave."

"Okay," Dave agreed, capturing her hand once again as he pulled her closer, closing the last inch that had remained between their bodies. "Noted. Next?"

"I want kids, Dave," JJ said quietly, raising her eyes to his again as she watched for his reaction. She was well aware of the topic they had just discussed and his adamant thought on the subject, but, again, she was unwilling to leave any stone unturned in her quest to remove the obstacles to their future happiness. And she wanted a happy future. With him.


	23. Chapter 23

**__****Author's Note: Many, many thanks to everyone who continues to read, review, alert and favorite our stories. We truly appreciate each and every one of you. Today, please travel over to our forum, "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" and check out our latest "Getting to Know You" interview with the very talented LacytheDemonicDuck. And please, drop us a post or PM and let us know your thoughts on the forum. We'd love your input. Thanks again. And, as always, we don't own Criminal Minds.**

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Looking the Other Way**

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

"Now?" Dave grinned, wriggling his eyebrows suggestively as he dropped a hand to her hip, tugging her closer.

"No," JJ drawled, rolling her eyes as she swatted at his marauding fingers, "Not now. But, eventually. I know what you've been through before now. And I don't ever want you to worry that history would repeat itself with me. A job is never going to be more important to me than a child we create together."

"You already know how much having a child would mean to me, Jen," Dave returned somberly. "Thank you for telling me that, but for the record, it was something about you that I already had figured out on my own. I wouldn't be with you if I thought otherwise. Anything else?" he asked, ready to seal their commitment to each other in a more personal way, his fingers already returning to their well-honed exploration of her beautiful body.

"Just one thing," JJ said with a hesitant smile, shaking her head as she added, "and I'm pretty sure this is the one you're gonna take issue with."

Automatically on his guard as he watched her uncharacteristically bite her lower lip in hesitation, Dave asked cautiously, "What?" And holding his breath as his hands stilled against her hip, he prayed he could handle the stipulation coming his way.

Twitching her lips from side to side, JJ pulled herself up, sitting straight up beside him as she said, firmly, "Now hear me out before you say anything, Dave. I know you, and I know that you'll feel the need to dissuade me of this belief, but I want you to know that this is important to me."

Dropping his chin to his chest, Dave let out a deep breath as he said, attempting to modulate the gruffness in his voice, "Babe, if you don't tell me what it is, then I'm not going to know if I'm going to object or not. But I gotta say that my gut is already not liking the way this is starting."

"Resist whatever your gut is saying, Dave," JJ advised as she pressed her palms against her thighs. Drawing in a deep breath, she said, firmly, "I want a long engagement, Dave. I've read the studies and I know that couples have a much stronger chance of remaining together if they don't rush into things." Seeing his eyes start to darken at her words, she added, quickly, "You know the old saying, Dave. Marry in haste and repent at leisure."

"I don't plan on doing any form of repenting any time soon, babe," Dave objected, pushing up on his elbows as he stared into her determined face as he rested a hand on her knee. "And exactly how long of an engagement are we talking about here, woman?"

"A year, Dave. Twelve months should be…."

"Eleven months too long!" he interrupted, jerking straight up in the bed, the covers tangling around his legs until he kicked them angrily over the side of the mattress. "You can't be serious!"

"Oh, but I am," JJ replied serenely, reaching out to grab the sheet before it disappeared completely. Tucking the soft cotton around her body, she added, "One month is not long enough, Dave. It doesn't give us enough time to learn about each other and prepare for the wedding. Not at all."

"What is there to learn? We've been sleeping together for months, and I think we would both admit that we've had a strong relationship for a while now," Dave replied, shaking his head as he wondered if this woman he loved was deliberately attempting to drive him stark raving mad. "It's not like we just woke up together after a one-night stand in Vegas, honey."

"I'm hoping that wasn't a reference to one of your other not-so-functional relationships, Dave, or I'm going to have to…"

Hearing the outrage creeping into her voice, he held up a hand in an attempt to stall her coming tirade. "It was just a statement, Jen, not any reference at all," Rossi declared, dropping his head heavily back against the pillow. "Come on, cut me some slack here. Surely you're not going to make me wait for an entire three hundred and sixty-five days to put a ring on your finger, are you? I was all set to get the formalities out of the way in a day or two and get on with the best part, which is the marriage!"

Smiling at the petulant tone in his voice, JJ eased down beside him, stroking her fingers over his strong chest as she murmured, "Dave, I didn't say we weren't going to be sharing our lives in the coming year. I just want to make sure we're making the right choice here. We'll get to know each other better over these months and make new memories together."

"Trust me, I had a few memories in mind already that I was planning on creating, cara," Dave grumbled, snaking his hand behind her back, hauling her tight against his side as he pressed a kiss against her lips.

Letting herself sink into his kiss, losing her train of thought for a moment as she gave into the amazing feeling that the mere touch of his body against hers always created, she moaned heavily as she tried to pull away. "Dave!" JJ mumbled, forcing her eyes to open and face the sunlit room, "We're not finished! And I'm not going to let you distract me just so you'll get your way!"

"JJ," Dave began, his arm tightening around her shoulders, "Just give me one good reason why we should have to wait to experience something that we both know we want. One good reason."

Arching a brow, JJ stared into his belligerent eyes as she declared, her fingers tugging at his curly chest hair, "Because it's the only way I'm going to say yes, Dave. I want our future together, but I want to know that it's going to last and not fizzle out at the first sign of trouble. So take it or leave it."

While David Rossi might be many things, stupid was not one word that could be used to describe him. Recognizing the steel lining her words, he sighed loudly as he muttered, "Not even married and I'm already whipped. Honest to God, woman, when did you steal my balls and hide them from me?"

Grinning as she rolled her eyes at his words, JJ let her hand wander lower on his body as she said, seductively, "Oh, I'm fairly certain all of your man parts are exactly where you left them, Dave. And since you've been so cooperative, I think you might deserve a reward. I think you said something earlier about celebrating, didn't you?"

"I think we just hit on a topic that we both agree on completely, bella," Dave growled, rolling them both quickly as he captured her lips with his, fully intent on commemorating this momentous occasion in a way that neither one of them would ever forget.


	24. Chapter 24

**__****Author's Note: Many, many thanks to everyone who continues to read, review, alert and favorite our stories. We truly appreciate each and every one of you. Today, please travel over to our forum, "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" and check out our latest "Getting to Know You" interview with the very talented ArwenLalaith. One of the premiere talents on this site, she's also recently taken over the Criminal Minds Fan Fiction Awards. Also, we have another discussion thread open called, "Creating the Perfect Marriage with Dialogue and Description" Please, drop us a post or PM and let us know your thoughts on the forum. We'd love your input. Thanks again. And, as always, we don't own Criminal Minds.**

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Looking the Other Way**

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

Watching out of the corner of his eye as the woman in the passenger seat shifted again, her fingers drumming erratically against the molded console, Dave snaked out his hand. Capturing her obviously nervous hand in his, he squeezed her fingers as he murmured, "Jen, babe, what's got you jumping? I thought you wanted to meet my papa."

Swallowing against the persistent dryness in the back of her throat, JJ attempted to force herself to settle down, to relax as she felt the warmth of his touch seep into her skin. Nodding, she turned to meet his inquisitive eyes as she answered, slowly, "I do, Dave. It's just that the closer we get, the more nervous I'm getting. And I don't know why. "

He shifted his eyes back to the road for a second as he expertly executed a turn onto a very familiar road. "There's no reason to worry. I can guarantee you that Papa's gonna be as enamored with you as I am."

"But I'm not the first girl you've brought home, Dave," JJ suddenly blurted out, then winced as she realized how blunt those words sounded in the confined space. While her thoughts had been shifting rapidly in that direction with each mile they grew closer to Dave's childhood home, she had been sternly refusing to allow herself to voice her fears. But somehow, her defenses suddenly shattered, and she found herself staring wide-eyed at him as she waited, impatiently, for his response.

Cocking one brow, Dave nodded even as he kept her hand tightly in his. "You're right in your assessment, honey. But trust me on this. I can guarantee you that you're the absolute last. Papa is old and as cantankerous as ever, but he can recognize the value of a beautiful woman with a heart of gold. He's been telling me for years to find a woman like Mama and settle down. "

"How long were they married?" JJ asked softly, his words soothing her worries as she let out a deep breath, letting herself lean back against the comfortable leather seat. The small houses dotting the landscape flowed by as they continued down the tree-lined road, a silent reminder of the upbringing Dave must have had in this working class community of Long Island, New York.

"Over half a century," Dave replied wistfully, his smile coming automatically as he thought of the tiny spitfire that had been his mother. "Unlike myself, my parents found true love on their first pass out of the gate. Giovanni Alberto Rossi met my mother, Annalisse, in the Old Country at a family wedding fifty-four years ago. According to them both, it was love at first sight. Until Mama's death, they never spent a night apart after they were married."

Smiling faintly as she heard the change in his voice as he described his parents, JJ murmured, "It sounds like a fairytale."

"Not quite," Dave replied wryly, rolling his eyes for a moment as he drew the vehicle to a stop at a busy intersection. "Mama and Papa's fights were known to rattle the rafters of our entire neighborhood. Two full-blooded Italians fighting for supremacy," he grinned with a shake of his graying head.

"Who won?" JJ laughed, her own mind imagining the world he grew up in, the pieces falling together easily now.

"Most days, it was a draw," Dave replied, winking at her as he squeezed her hand even tighter. "But I'd have given Mama the edge any day of the week. You can get a lot out of an Italian husband if you go on strike in the kitchen."

"I'm filing that knowledge away for future reference," JJ told him honestly, turning her head to meet his dark eyes. "I have a feeling I'm going to need every advantage I can get when it comes to winning an argument with you."

"Trust me, Bella, you more than know how to hold your own against me," Dave said sincerely, sweeping his thumb over her wrist, her pulse pounding comfortingly against his touch.

"Be that as it may," JJ said easily, cocking one blonde brow in silent determination, "I'm storing the information."

Laughing, Dave made a slow right turn onto a one-way street of identical looking brownstones. Waving out the window at a gathered group of grey-headed seniors, he heard JJ's, "We must be getting close. You've started waving."

"One of the disadvantages in living the same place your entire life...everybody knows your name," he mused, his eyes drifting over the well kept older homes that he had known since childhood. "Mama and Papa moved into this area when I was a toddler. I don't think Papa would know what to do if any of us kids suggested that he move."

"It's got to be hard...the upkeep of a house at his age," JJ commented, looking out the window at the surrounding neighborhood. From the cobblestone lined sidewalks to the various shades of bricked homes, it looked like something out of an old movie. A few shops sat scattered in between the residences, the neighborhood self-sufficient with restaurants and markets scattered here and there.

"After Mama died, a couple of years ago, I hired a lady that comes in three times a week. And my sisters bring over meals a couple of times a week and put them in the freezer. But most nights, he eats with Uncle Paulie down at the grill on the corner," he said, nodding down the street.

"So, who am I meeting this afternoon?" JJ asked softly, her lips twitching to the side as she mentally rallied for the coming gathering. "Besides your father, that is."

"Honestly, it'll probably be whoever he managed to nab. I expect my sisters will both be there, though."

"How many do you have?" JJ frowned, easily catching the plural use of the word. She'd known Dave wasn't an only child. He'd mentioned a brother that had passed away from cancer a few years ago to her before, but this was the first she'd heard of any sisters at all.

"Two. One older. One younger," Dave replied easily, watching as JJ shifted nervously in her seat again. Shaking his head, he added, reassuringly, "Don't worry, babe. They'll love you."

"Did they like any of your former wives?" JJ asked anxiously, her earlier fears suddenly returning as she bit her lower lip.

"Well," Dave paused, mulling the question, "No...but, honestly, honey, I've told you everything. From what you know, do you think there was a hell of a lot to like?"

"You make a good point," JJ murmured, mentally shivering as she remembered the stories of his previous ex-wives, one in particular filling her thoughts . "Okay, give me details. And quick. I wanna be prepared," she demanded, straightening her shoulders as she reminded herself that she was the one he had chosen now, the one he wanted to be with. And she wanted to be with him, too, and facing his family was part of their world now.

"You mean like when you prepared me for your mom's last visit?" Dave asked sarcastically, turning darkly accusing eyes on her, glaring as he shivered at the memory.

Barely biting back a laugh as the memory of her mother's impromptu visit to Little Creek last week sprung to mind, JJ shook her head. "Not fair. You can't hold that against me, Dave."

"Wanna bet, babe?" Dave asked, narrowing one eye on her, watching as her blonde hair glimmered in the afternoon sunlight.

"I had no idea she was coming," JJ said innocently, remembering that priceless look that had blanketed her lover's face as he'd walked in from the back deck, wearing nothing but the giant smile she'd put on his face only moments prior when they'd taken a late afternoon dip in the outdoor Jacuzzi. Honestly, she'd been impressed that Dave could travel upstairs that quickly, his feet all but taking flight as he'd realized who exactly had been standing in their foyer.

"Your mother now knows what I look like naked, Jen," Dave growled, pulling his hand away from hers as he turned the steering wheel sharply onto a small side street.

"On the upside, she was duly impressed," JJ said, unable to suppress a giggle that erupted out of her throat, remembering her mother's well-phrased comments and questions about his obvious physical endowments.

Smiling like a lion that had just spotted his gazelle, Dave nodded as he said, evenly but with just a touch of wickedness, "And just for that, you're on your own with my lovely sisters."

And suddenly, JJ didn't quite feel like smiling anymore.


	25. Chapter 25

_**Author's Note:**__**Calling all writers! Please check out our new writing challenge on our forum on **__**"Chit Chat on Author's Corner" **__**(you can find the link on my profile page.) In order to expand our horizons and stretch our writing wings, everyone who joins the challenge will be writing an exciting new pairing. By signing up, you'll get to suggest a pairing for someone else to write in addition to agreeing to write yourself. The story can be a drabble or an epic, romantic or friendship, AU or canon, angst or comedy…or anything in between. As the author, it is your choice to determine the direction and plot…we'll just be providing the pairing. We're certain that this will result in some fantastic stories, so check it out today! And feel free to email, PM or post to the forum thread if you'd be interested in participating. Also, please check out our newest interview with the fabulous Angel N Darkness, another of our site's many talented authors.**_

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Looking the Other Way**

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

Minutes later, JJ glared at her smiling husband-to-be as he opened her SUV door and held out his hand chivalrously. Letting him assist her down from the high seat, she muttered underneath her breath as she shaded her eyes against the sun, "I swear to God, David Rossi, if you leave me alone with your family, we'll be renegotiating the terms of our engagement quicker than you can say two very long years."

Giving her hand a warning squeeze before he wrapped an arm around her waist, Dave retorted as he led her toward the modest brick house, "Don't even joke about that, babe. I'm meeting your terms right now, aren't I? Aren't you about to meet my family, just like you wanted?"

"Meeting them and being thrown to the wolves are two completely separate universes, Dave," JJ countered, carefully schooling her features into a professional, welcoming smile as they neared the screen door on the small wooden front porch. Pulling him to a stop on the top step before he could reach for the knob, JJ looked worriedly into Dave's eyes. "What if they don't like me?" she whispered suddenly.

"Babe, everybody likes you," Dave soothed, dropping a kiss against her creased forehead as he smiled down into her worried blue eyes.

"False. Everybody does NOT like me, Rossi," JJ muttered, lightly punching his stomach as she glanced toward the glass door.

"Name one person," Dave grunted in defense, rapidly capturing her hand before she could land another blow.

"Strauss," JJ declared flatly.

"Doesn't count," Dave shrugged, lacing his fingers with hers as he pulled her fully onto the small stone porch. "I'm not even sure that woman is human."

Groaning, JJ tightened her fingers around Dave's hand. "Dave," she moaned as she dug her heels into the solid floor, "at least give me their names before we go in there," she said, nodding toward the closed door.

Easing JJ against one of the brick columns of the porch, Dave dropped his hands to cup her slender hips as he pressed a quick kiss to her lips. "There are two sisters. Arabella is my younger sister. We call her Ari. You'll like her. She's a warm and open woman that believes I hung the moon. Of course, that might have something to do with the fifteen years that I have on her."

"Ah, she's the baby," JJ noted, filing away that little tidbit in her mental rolodex, her body slowly relaxing as his hands rubbed soothing circles over her skirt-covered hips.

Nodding, Dave continued, "Lucia is the oldest. We call her Luce. She's two years older than me and has lorded it over my head my entire life. She might be a little less...approachable, but you'll probably like her best."

"Why?" JJ asked curiously, tilting her head back as she stared into his onyx eyes.

"The old bat doesn't give me any slack. Ever. Once she realizes that you're as committed to me as I am to you, she'll drop the whole Arctic freeze routine. In the end, my sisters are gonna love you, Jen," Dave assured her as he pulled her forward. He rapped once on the aluminum frame of the door, then opened it without waiting any further.

Pulling her by the hand into the paneled foyer, he grinned as he heard the sound of loud voices involved in an obvious passionate discussion. "Sounds like they've already started cooking. The girls never could agree on how to recreate Mama's manicotti," he murmured softly, shaking his head at cacophony filling the house.

"Hey! Anybody home?" Dave called jovially, snagging JJ's cool hand and tugging her resistant body behind him as he advanced toward the raised voices.

"Dave!" a petite woman greeted happily from the doorway of the kitchen, turning on her heel as she held open her arms. "You're home!"

Watching as the diminutive woman with flowing ebony curls hurled herself toward her fiancé, JJ immediately knew that this was the youngest Rossi sibling, Arabella. And Dave's description seemed to be perfectly on track, his younger sister obviously enamored with him.

Slipping one arm around his deceptively fragile looking younger sister, Dave grinned over her head at JJ. "I was here a month ago, Sprout," Dave gently rebuked, tugging one of her curls. "I didn't fall off the face of the earth."

"Not for lack of trying," another feminine voice quipped sarcastically from the other side of the room. "Honest to God, Davie, don't you think you're getting a little old for chasing the bad guys? It's not like there's not some nice alternatives out there for you," she complained, her words grinding out.

JJ could tell from the tone of voice that this was a long-standing argument in the Rossi household, and, being the smart woman that she was, wisely remained silent as Dave's elder sister moved into her line of sight.

"Nice to see you, too, Luce," Dave sighed, rolling his eyes at his older sibling.

"Don't look at me like that," Luce growled as she wiped her hands on the oversized white apron covering her clothes, ignoring JJ's presence beside her brother. "You and I are going to have a long discussion about the risks you're taking in your old age before you leave, fratello."

Seeing the question in JJ's eyes, Dave murmured in explanation, "Italian for brother, Bella." Turning his gaze back to Luce, Dave smirked as he merely raised a brow. "You channeling Mama again, Luce?"

"Ha!" Luce snorted, tilting her chin imperiously, blowing a stray strand of hair that had fallen out of her neat bun out of her face, "I'm not threatening you with a wooden spoon, am I? Mama would have met you at the door to whack you a good one." Gazing sternly at their sister still hanging around Dave's neck, Luce ordered, "Ari, let the idiot breathe, bambina. His drinking and debauchery in his heyday already fried enough brain cells. Let's not add the death of anymore of them from oxygen deprivation. He's stupid enough as it is."

Biting her lip to keep the giggle rising in her throat inside, JJ's eyes widened as they met Dave's. "Told ya so," he mouthed to her, tucking his little sister into his side with one arm as he held his hand out to her, tugging her gently to him.

"If you're through publicly chastising me, Luce," Dave said sternly, squeezing a silent JJ's hand, "Ladies, I have someone I'd like you both to meet."

Feeling two sets of eyes suddenly focused on her, JJ felt her stomach roll. It was the moment of truth. Her formal introduction to the first member's of Dave's family. And damn it all if she wasn't nervous as a schoolgirl going on her first date. Hell, she stared down deranged unsubs and ravenous members of the media alike, and yet, standing here, facing the formidable Rossi sisters, JJ could feel her hands sweating and her knees shaking.

"Ari, Luce...this is Jennifer Jareau..." Dave introduced her in his best formal voice, only to have his words interrupted.

"Very soon-to-be Rossi unless I'm misinterpreting that look in your eye," Luce supplied for him, cutting him off in a tone that clearly indicated she was less than impressed with this recent turn of events.


	26. Chapter 26

**_Author's Note:_**

**_First, let us begin by thanking everyone that is reading, reviewing, favoriting and alerting our stories. We truly appreciate._**

**_We have several announcements regarding our forum, "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" today. First, we have a new interview with another of our dedicated writers, Leigh59, available to read. Also, we have several new discussion threads for you to comment on. Join our lively discussion thread called, "AJ Cook's Contract Not Renewed" and tell us what you think of CM's latest developments. We also have a thread entitled, "Fanfic Challenge 2010 Assignments" where you can see the recently assigned pairings for our first ever fanfic challenge. And finally, we've begun a thread to offer prayers and best wishes for our fellow author, JWynn. We hope to see you all there!_**

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Looking the Other Way**

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

Turning to stare in amazement at the woman that had just deduced what they hadn't yet shared with another soul, JJ cleared her throat as she said, as evenly as possible, "What makes you think that?"

Cocking a dark brow as she propped a hand on her apron-covered hip, Dave's older sister shook her head as she declared sharply, "Oh, just something I've been able to pick up over the years. My brother here thinks he's a big bad profiler capable of keeping secrets, but he's an open book." Turning from JJ, she glared at Dave as she added, frowning, "Don't tell me you've already gone and done the deed, boyo. I'd have thought after the last one, you'd have…"

"Okay, Luce, I'm gonna stop you right there," Dave said firmly, feeling JJ stiffen beside him at the mention of the she-devil that had been his third wife. "And no, Jen and I haven't married yet, but it's not for my lack of trying. We're taking things slowly because that's how she wants it."

Turning an appreciative gaze toward the young blonde tucked next to her brother, Luce said, grudgingly, "There may be hope for you yet. If you've managed to keep my brother from running off half-cocked into the bonds of matrimony, you'll be accomplishing the impossible, trust me."

Raising a blonde brow, JJ tilted her head as she eyed the older woman. "I'm not sure if I should say thank you or not."

Rolling her eyes at the tense words being bandied about, Ari waved a hand in the air. "Don't mind Luce, Jen. If she didn't have a stick up her rear about something, the world might come to an end." Snagging JJ's hand as she stepped away from her brother, she invited brightly, "Never mind her! Come help us cook and tell us how you and Davie met!

Watching his eldest sister's face closely as her eyes followed JJ and their youngest sister into the kitchen, Dave stepped forward quickly when she moved to follow. "Not just yet, Sis," Dave stopped her with a heavy hand on her arm.

"You can save whatever warning you're about to impart, David," Luce said impatiently, removing Dave's hand from her arm with determined fingers. "I think I've heard them all by now."

"Don't do this, Luce," Dave murmured, refusing to move out of her pathway as he stared down into her dark eyes that were so reminiscent of his mother's. "JJ's special. Don't let my past mistakes in the relationship department influence your decision about her. She's different."

Huffing out a breath, Luce glared up at her younger brother. "They're always different. The first one was different because she "got" you," Luce snarled, using air quotes as she leaned back slightly. "The second was different because she understood the job. The third one...hell, I'm pretty sure the only thing the third one was good for, she could only do flat on her back." Narrowing her eyes, she shook her head full of curls dismissively as she ordered, "Sell it to someone that's willing to buy it, brother."

"Luce, I mean it," Dave growled, matching the other woman's tone as he took a step closer, "You will not ruin this for me. I love her. I really, really love her."

"Yeah, you really loved that tramp you dragged in her between the baby murdering bitch and the gold-digging tramp, too. You know, the one that seduced my husband of thirty years!" Luce hissed, her words biting deeply as she crossed her arms over her ample chest. "Sorry, Davie," Luce added, her voice saccharine sweet, "but I stopped trusting your taste in women when your fucking flavor of the week married my husband."

"Damn it, Luce!" Dave groaned, scrubbing a hand over his face as he barely resisted yelling at the top of his lungs, "First of all, I don't know how many other ways I can apologize for the role I had in that debacle. Second, we both know there was trouble with Frankie's wandering eye long before I walked in here with Susan."

"What I know is that I ended up alone, David...something you know VERY little about," Luce snapped angrily, her cheeks flushing crimson as she shoved her hands into the frayed pockets of her apron.

"You're alone because you choose to be, damn it! How many times have you turned guys down because of your own inability to trust?" Dave asked, struggling to keep his voice even in the small house, not wanting to draw any more attention than necessary to their heated discussion.

"And how many of your marriages have lasted longer than it took the ink to dry on the license?" his sister snapped waspishly, her dark eyes flashing dangerously as she shifted from foot to foot.

Shaking his head sadly at the bitterness and pain in her voice, Dave said softly, "Listen, I'm sorry for what you've had to endure, Sis. Genuinely sorry. And I think you know that if I could have saved you the pain, I would have. Hell, I buried that louse you were married to in so much litigation, he walked away a pauper."

"Money doesn't buy happiness, David," Luce replied piously, sounding so much like their departed mother that Dave winced.

"Maybe not. But I refuse to stand here and believe that you'd actually begrudge me a chance with a woman that truly loves ME and not what I can do for her...not what I can give her."

"And you think this Anglo," Luce said doubtfully, jerking her head toward the kitchen, "is that woman?"

"I know it, Luce. On Mama's grave, I know it," Dave whispered, his eyes meeting his elder sister's solemnly. They stood in baited silence for a moment before he continued, for once speaking from his heart, "I've never known another woman like her. And if you'd give her half a chance, you'd like her, too. God knows, you've got enough in common. She can't get enough of slamming me into place either."

Pursing her lips, Luce eyed Dave warily, refusing to allow him to sweettalk her into a decision she might live to regret further down the road. Over fifty years of sharing parents, family, and a life with him had given her a certain amount of wary experience that she took seriously.

"Look, you want me to bottom line it for you?" Dave asked impatiently, glaring at the woman in front of him as she merely stared at him.

"Might save some time," Luce shrugged, carefully cataloguing her brother's earnest face as she tried to remember if she had ever seen him like that before.

"Fine," Dave retorted, lowering his chin as he let out a deep breath. Pointing at the swinging door to the kitchen, he continued, his voice low but meaningful, "That woman in there matters to me. More than anybody that ever came before her. And if I have to walk out of this house and never come back because you force me to choose between you and her, that's what I'll do, Luce. That's how serious I am. I won't tolerate you placing her in your crosshairs because you've got a decade-old beef with me, damn it! SHE didn't have anything to do with my sordid past. Unlike my previous wives and women, she doesn't just WANT me to be a better man, she DEMANDS it. I won't jeopardize what I've managed to find with her. Not for you...not for anyone."

Raising one eyebrow at the sheer honesty in his voice, Luce let out a deep breath of her own as she said softly, "Well, well, well, Davie. It sounds like you might have grown up after all." Cocking one eyebrow as she turned on her heel, her steps moving quickly toward the kitchen door, she added, "Now let's see if I think she's worth it."


	27. Chapter 27

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Looking the Other Way**

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

Her eyebrows drew closer together as she glanced over her shoulder once again, the sound of spirited voices, although muffled, still very evident in the sunny kitchen. Biting her lower lip, JJ murmured as she glanced worriedly at Rossi's younger sister, "You sure we shouldn't be doing something about that?"

"That?" Waving her flour-covered hand in the direction of the open doorway, Ari let out a small tinkling laugh as she shook her head. "Jen, that's a walk in the park compared to some of the so-called discussions those two are famous for. If Davie was really upset, the rafters would be shaking by now. And if Luce had a real bee in her bonnet, the neighbors would be checking to see if we needed the mortician." Turning back toward the wide counter, she reached for another handful of flour as she asked, grinning, "So you really do love my brother, don't you?"

Shaking her head as she attempted to follow the quick shift in the conversation, JJ forced herself to focus on the question as she mumbled, "I'm sorry? What did you ask?"

Reaching out a hand, Ari pressed her fingers to JJ's sleeve, the faint imprint of flour lingering against the black fabric. "You love Davie. It's obvious in your eyes. And I've seen him with a few women before, too. But I've never seen him look at any of them like he looks at you. You're the one."

Faintly uncomfortable in the face of such blunt observation, JJ shifted nervously on her feet. "I hope I am."

"But you're concerned about our Davie's track record, is that it?" Ari asked knowingly, lifting one eyebrow as she eyed the other woman.

"You have to admit, his record isn't all that impressive," JJ said, her voice pitched low as she moved toward the cluttered counter, needing to do something to keep her hands occupied.

Nodding once, Ari sighed. "My brother had a tendency to think that all the women he married would magically change for him. That a tramp would suddenly become a born again virgin, that a gold-digger would become a philanthropist, that a workaholic would miraculously be overjoyed with the prospect of motherhood...you'd better stop me. I could go on all night here." Pausing as she wiped her hands on the damp towel, she added, "The point is, I think, in recent years, my big brother has quite possibly run out of oats to sow. And, possibly learned that, for the most part, what you see is what you're gonna get so you'd better like what you see before you sign on the dotted line."

"Well, based on what Luce saw in the few short moments she looked at me, I don't think she's particularly impressed," JJ said worriedly, glancing over her shoulder as the voices outside the door rose for a moment.

Shaking her dark head, Ari snorted as she rolled her black eyes. "Don't let her hardass act fool you, JJ. Luce has a heart of gold. It's just buried. Really deep." Holding up a hand, she explained, "But it wasn't always that way. And believe me when I tell you that you shouldn't take it personally. Davie could have brought in Mother Teresa and she'd have acted the same way."

"Ari, if looks could have killed, I'd have been toast," JJ replied, uncharacteristically speaking with her heart instead of her mind, instinctively trusting this tiny woman, knowing somehow that Dave's younger sister was a kindred soul.

Carefully glancing at the doorway, Ari spoke, her voice a bare whisper, "You look a lot like someone that hurt her terribly, JJ. Don't take it personally. Once she gets past the surprise of Dave being involved with someone new and your outward appearance, she'll come around."

Listening with a sinking heart, JJ whispered back, "Hurt her?"

"Yeah," Ari frowned, her forehead wrinkling prettily as she considered whether to explain the entire story. "Oh hell, I might as well spill my guts. You're just going to blow it out of proportion in your mind unless I do. Several years ago, Davie was in a relationship...one that never made it to holy matrimony, thank God," Ari muttered, making the sign of the cross across her chest. "Anyway, the girl and Davie didn't work out. But while she was around, she met another member of the family that captured her interest. Luce's husband of many, MANY years."

"No!" JJ gasped, her horrified eyes widening. Surely Ari couldn't be saying...

"Unfortunately, yes," Ari said softly, glancing apprehensively toward the door, obviously worried about getting caught divulging family secrets. "Anyway, please don't hold my sister's bad attitude and less than warm welcome against her. It's been difficult on her. It took forever to work out the details of the divorce...and even longer for her to finally get the Church to grant an annulment."

"God, I had no idea," JJ moaned, dropping her head in her hand as she let out a harsh sigh. "Dave never told me."

"He's probably ashamed. Though, honestly, he has no reason to be. That woman," Ari spat, anger invading her voice as her fist clenched, "made a fool of them both and almost ruined our family in the process. It's been the one and only time that I was ever thankful Mama wasn't here to see things."

"I'm so sorry, Ari," JJ began genuinely, reaching out to squeeze the other woman's flour covered hand where it rested against the counter.

"Don't be," Ari said, smiling tightly, shaking her head full of black hair. "It isn't your fault...or problem. But, considering what's going on out there," she said with a nod toward the door, "I figured you deserved the truth."

"But, I look like her, evidently," JJ groaned, grimacing as she wondered if it would be possible to schedule a stylist appointment in the next ten minutes. She'd always wondered what she would look like as a red head…maybe this was her chance.

"Vaguely," Ari stressed, cutting her eyes back to the thin blonde. "But, any white, blonde Anglo resembles the bitch. It's obvious your heart is pure. It was in your eyes when you looked at my brother."

"I don't think I've ever loved anyone like I love your brother," JJ admitted honestly, smiling slightly as the words flowed out easily. Somehow, standing in the middle of the Rossi family kitchen, the afternoon sun shining through the aged windows and bathing her in a soft warmth, JJ truly felt that she could be honest with herself about her true feelings for Dave. It felt right. It felt perfect.

"I think the same could be said of him based on what I've seen and heard over the last several weeks. Any woman he was with before would have used his shooting to blow through his fortune...you never left his side from what I'm told," Ari replied with a wink, reaching for the dough again as she easily patted out a small circle.

"I've never been so terrified in my life," JJ shivered, the memories of those long hours during his surgery haunting her, still invading the corners of her memory with overwhelming fears and worry. "I thought I was going to lose him."

"This gave you the final push you needed, yes?" Ari smiled.

"That wasn't a push, Ari," JJ shook her head, still able to remember every single horrible moment of his surgery and recovery. "It was a shove. But I guess it did open my eyes."

"He spoke of you even before the shooting, JJ," Dave's sister said quietly, glancing quickly in her direction. "And he spoke your name with reverence. This is not a sudden thing for my brother."

"I'm beginning to realize that," JJ agreed, nodding once as she idly picked at the seam on her skirt, needing something to keep her fingers busy. "I love your brother very much and I certainly don't want to cause a rift within your family."

"You aren't," Ari shrugged. "Those two," she said, jerking her head toward the door as another burst of voices floated through, "will work it out. They always do."


	28. Chapter 28

**Author's Note: Hello, Readers! Once again, thank you to everyone that has been reading, reviewing, alerting and favoriting our stories.**

**We'd like to take this opportunity to announce our Fanfic Challenge - ROUND 2 for July at our forum "Chit Chat on Author's Corner". Signups are through June 30th. This month, you'll simply need to tell us what pairing you normally write, what pairing you'd like to see someone else write, and what Song Title or Movie Title you'd like to see used for inspiration. On July 1st, you'll be pm'd with your assigned pairing and prompt…. and then, just write away! Postings will be due by July 31. Further details can be found at the forum ("Chit Chat on Author's Corner") and a link can be found at our profile pages (ilovetvalot or tonnie2001969)! We had a great turnout for our last challenge and some really excellent fics produced. And, now, we want to make it bigger and better. Come join the fun. You can sign up at the forum or send either tonnie or me a PM! We'd love to hear from you! And please check out our newest interview with the incredibly talented tazlvr2001!**

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Looking the Other Way**

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

The sound of footsteps filled the kitchen just then, and JJ looked over her shoulder expectantly. Seeing Dave and his older sister enter the area, their identical dark eyes flashing, she only hoped that they had managed to reach some sort of amicable resolution. Otherwise, JJ had a feeling that her first visit to the Rossi family home might very well be her last.

Turning cheerfully as she wiped her hands on a dishtowel, Ari ordered as she wagged a finger in her siblings' direction, "Okay, you two. No more sulking in corners or picking fights with each other. You just about gave poor JJ here a heart attack!"

"It wasn't that bad," JJ demurred as she felt Dave's probing eyes settle on her suddenly warm face. But before any further discussion could occur, they all heard loud steps stomping in their direction. And seconds later, a tall white-haired man rounded the corner into the kitchen as he called out, "Okay, figlie, who let me sleep so long? I wanted to be awake when Davie got here!"

Raising her eyebrow as she felt Dave's fingers lace with hers, JJ murmured, "I'm assuming I'm about to meet your father?"

"Yep. Giovanni Rossi himself," Dave answered simply, squeezing her hand as he pulled her forward. Smiling widely, he called out, "Papa, I'm already here. And I brought someone for you to meet."

Taking a deep breath as Dave tugged her to his side, JJ stared into the hauntingly familiar eyes of an elder version of David Rossi, at least in looks. "Hello," JJ said carefully, unsure of what her reception would be as she nodded toward her future father-in-law.

"Papa, this is Jennifer," Dave easily introduced the woman beside him.

"His future bride," Luce added snidely as she crossed her arms across her breasts, tapping her sandal-covered toes against the aged wooden floor.

Shooting his eldest a warning look, Dave's father smiled gently at the newest soon-to-be addition to his family. "Please excuse my daughter. She has," Giovanni began with his deep voice, pausing as he searched for the word, "how do you Americans say...issues."

Smiling benignly, JJ glanced toward Luce, then back to Dave's father. "I think we all do to some extent," she stated impassively.

Mildly impressed at the unexpected comment, Luce inclined her head slightly. "Grazie."

Rolling his eyes as he considered the enigma that was his sister, Dave wrapped an arm around JJ's waist. "At any rate, Luce is correct. JJ has consented to put me out of my misery and become my wife. And I couldn't be more grateful," he said, sparing Luce a meaningful glare.

"Then this is happy day," Giovanni declared, his dark eyes sparkling. Looking at his oldest daughter for a hard moment, he then remarked, "I'm going to assume that I'm the first in this family to offer my congratulations. My David has told me many things about you, Jennifer. Tales of your loyalty and determination precede you."

"Thank you, Mr. Rossi," JJ said softly, her cheeks warming at his kind words, so different from the earlier, and decidedly colder, reception.

"Basta! I am Papa, Little One," he said, enfolding her slim body against his frame. Frowning down at the top of her head, he slid his hands to her waist. "She is tiny, Davey," Gio admonished. "You must feed her before bambinos come."

"Papa," Luce said from the counter, her jaw clenching again as she glanced at her watch, "why don't you and Davey go sit down in the living room and let the rest of us finish preparing supper? I'd like a chance to get to know my future sister-in-law without the men in this family underfoot."

Taking a step back, Gio nodded as he patted JJ's shoulder. "Come, Davey. I have bottle of wine for just this occasion. Join me in the cellar," he ordered, his heavy footsteps moving toward the door as he leaned heavily against the wooden cane he carried.

"Mind the steps," Luce warned automatically, her eyes narrowing as she watched her father's halting steps.

"You mind your manners, Luce," Dave warned, his eyes promising retribution if she managed to alienate the woman he'd fallen in love with.

"Go, brother," Luce demanded, her voice hard. "I believe your woman can handle me all on her own if necessary."

"And then some," Dave agreed, casting his sister one last dark look before turning his eyes to JJ. Pressing a soft kiss against her waiting lips, he whispered against her ear, "I'm a shout away, Bella."

"I'm fine, David," JJ assured him quietly, resting against his solid body for a moment before turning his shoulders. "Go visit with your father," she ordered.

"Good God, Davey, I'm not gonna kill her," Luce grumbled, reddening when Dave shot a worried look in her direction.

"No, you won't," Dave retorted, moving toward the door after his father. "She's a better shot than you."

Waiting until Dave cleared the room, JJ turned her attention toward his eldest sibling. Smiling sweetly, she met Luce's eyes as she said with a shrug, "I'm handicapped today, you know. I didn't come armed. You could probably do some real damage."

Releasing a bark of laughter, the sound unexpected in the quiet room, Luce eyed JJ with new eyes. "You do have spirit. A quality his other women were sadly lacking. You might survive this family past dinner yet."

"His other women are a thing of the past," JJ said firmly, stiffening her spine as she faced off with the eldest Rossi child. "And, I don't scare very easily."

Chuckling again as she glanced toward her baby sister, Luce sighed as she flicked the other woman's sleeve. "You can breathe, Ari. I'm not going to poison her food or anything."

"I appreciate that," JJ said sweetly, her eyes shining with merriment, still slightly amazed at the obvious similarities and differences in the three Rossi children.

Relaxing her shoulders slightly, Luce looked at JJ and felt a slow grudging respect building. "I guess you've figured out that I'm the bitch in this family," Luce remarked bluntly.

"A crown she bears with pride," Ari added with a smirk, arching her eyebrows in mock-amazement.

"Who are you kidding?" Luce snorted, raising an eyebrow at her sister. "You studied at my feet and don't try to deny it."

"That's true," Ari sighed, "Although I was never able to pull bitchdom off with as much style and alacrity as you," she said morosely, shaking her head slowly as she slapped another round of dough on the baking sheet.

"Well, then, do you think you could possibly make room at the table for one more?" JJ asked with a slow smile, privately thinking that she was going to like these women. She was going to like them very much.


	29. Chapter 29

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Looking the Other Way**

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

Dave blinked as he let his eyes adjust to the dimly-lit wooden stairwell, his feet automatically finding the narrow steps with practiced ease. Years of climbing up and down these very stairs had taught him exactly which boards to avoid, their squeaks a dead giveaway during his teenage rebellious moments.

Watching closely as his father grabbed the railing just a bit tighter than normal, his cane pounding against the treads in the other, Dave cleared his throat as he said, neutrally, "Papa, why don't you let me get the bottle? No use both of us making this trek."

"Bah!" the elder Rossi snorted, his gnarled knuckles rapping against the worn banister. "The day I can't visit my wine cellar is the day you and your sisters put me in the ground."

"Just a suggestion," Dave said pleasantly, slowing his steps behind his father as they reached the bottom floor. He drew in a deep breath, the mustiness of the basement cum cellar mixing with the distinct smell of grapes, a sure sign that his father had been attempting to once again concoct his own distinct brew. Raising a brow as he glanced down at the rows of bottles waiting on the small wooden table in the middle of the room, he said, smiling, "You've been a busy man, Papa."

"Not as busy as you, my son," Giovanni replied, slowly moving across the open room toward a row of wooden shelves in the far corner. "She's a looker, boy-o. Not like the others."

"JJ is unique, mio padre," Dave agreed, stepping off the final step of the staircase to stand behind his father as he surveyed the wine collection against one long wall.

"Lei e quello?" Giovanni asked neutrally. There had been so many so-called loves in his son's life, so believing that this young lady might be his Davey's soul mate was something even he had difficulty believing, despite the new light shining in his beloved offspring's eyes.

"Lei possiede me. Cuore e l'anima, padre, è proprietaria di me," Dave replied solemnly, lapsing into his father's native language with ease, finding it far easier to explain his deepest feelings in such a way.

Well, Giovanni admitted to himself with a mental nod, this was new. His son openly declaring that another woman owned him, heart and soul...that wasn't something either he or his wife, God rest her soul, had ever heard before. For a moment, he had to wonder if his dearest was listening to this conversation. God knew, if she was, she was certainly getting a laugh at her newly besotted only son.

Smiling as he reached for a dusty bottle, Giovanni pretended to study the aged label. "She's not Italian," he reminded his son needlessly, gauging his middle child's level of commitment.

"If you recall, two of my three former wives were Italian, Papa. Their heritage didn't make a difference to the success of our marriage," Dave returned evenly, crossing his arms as he leaned against the wooden post in the center of the room.

Shrugging his shoulders, Gio replaced the bottle on the shelf. "True," he nodded. "Besides, the bambinos will look Italian. We Rossis have the stronger genes, yes?"

"There is that," Dave smiled faintly, watching his father feign interest with the wines bottled on the rack. "I gave her Nonna Rossi's ring, Papa. She is the one."

"Si," Gio sighed, raising one shaggy brow as he turned to face his only son. "My question, my son, is will the pretty piece up there," he asked, jerking his head toward the staircase, "be the last one. I'm an old man, Davey. I don't want to waste what is left of my precious time here among my children getting attached to another daughter that will leave this famiglia," he added with an assessing look to his son.

"I can promise you, Papa, that once I make Jennifer mine, she won't be going anywhere," Dave vowed solemnly, his words filled with truth. "She's made that abundantly clear. It's one of the reasons that she refuses to allow us to set a wedding date. She doesn't just want to be sure of me...she wants to be positive."

"Smart girl," Gio commented, selecting another bottle and perusing the label.

"Gee, thanks for the support, Papa," Dave muttered sarcastically, trying to ignore the sting his father's careless words brought him.

"What?" Gio snorted, lifting eagle eyes to look at his son, his gaze missing nothing. "Can you blame the girl, Davey? You've played fast and loose the majority of your life...taken the sacred vows three times, my son...I hardly think you can blame your Jennifer for being wary."

"Perhaps not," Dave replied, desperately trying to keep the censure from his words. It was one thing to do battle with his sisters. But it was quite another to do so with the man that had given him life. "But I'd hoped that you might remember that all those marital dissolutions weren't entirely my fault."

"And I do, Davey," Gio said quietly, turning to face his son as he tightened his grip around the wine bottle in his hand. "I was there, my son. It's why I want you to be very careful with the selection of the next Mrs. Rossi."

"The next and the last," Rossi corrected the elder man. "And I was careful, Pop. You know I watched her for months before ever expressing a twinge of interest. She's not like the others. Not even close."

"And why is she so different, David?" Gio asked, leveling his son with a penetrating stare.

Damn, Rossi thought tiredly, he knew that tone better than he knew the sound of his own voice. His father wanted to be convinced. He felt like he was seventeen all over again, convincing his father that he was mature enough to join the Marines. "Pop, I'm a grown man. I think I know my own mind."

"Ha!" his father chuckled dryly, leaning heavily against his cane. "You've said that to me three times already in this life. You'll have to do better than that, my son."

Staring back at his father in the dim cellar, Dave silently groaned. Rossi men didn't bare their souls often or easily. And yet, here he stood, about to do so again for the second time in a week. Drawing in a deep breath, he murmured, "Do you remember when we were all kids and you'd tell us how the moment you saw mama, you just knew...knew that she was destined for you?"

"I do," Gio murmured, his lips unconsciously lifting in a wistful smile as images of his departed love wafted through his mind.

"I do, too, Papa. And when you told that story, I always stood and smiled, nodding my head in understanding. But, up until JJ, I never knew what you must have felt. I never knew that feeling of everything stopping for a moment just because she was near. I didn't get it. Not until Jennifer. With her, everything feels right. There's no doubt. Not about her. Or us. Or even myself. She's my one and only, Pop."

Giovanni stood staring at his son for a long moment after Dave finished speaking before he finally nodded, his eyes softening. And then he spoke the seven words David Rossi had been waiting to hear. "Your mama would be proud, my son."

* * *

_**Author's Note:**_

_**Please forgive our extra long rambling today, but we have a lot to share. First, originally we planned to publish all our stories on Mondays. But after realizing we have ten ongoing works, we decided to split them up. So, we will publish five fics on Sundays and five fics on Mondays for the foreseeable future. As always, we will publish the odd oneshot in between, especially when we have notes to share with our readers regarding our forum.**_

_**For those following Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum, we have several announcements. First, we'd like to announce our interviews with the very talented authors Reidfanatic and ConfettiLeaves. Next, please **__**check out our mini-challenge…The Creative Reasons Challenge! Now is the time to put your creative talents to work and write a story depicting the events and/or emotions regarding JJ's departure. It can be a drabble, oneshot or multi-chapter featuring any characters you choose. For more info, check out our challenge thread on the "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum.**_

_**For those of you who want to keep updated on the new threads posted to the forum, you can subscribe by going to the forum page (the link is on my profile page), then clicking "Forum Subscription" in the upper right corner. We have new and exciting discussion threads and interviews, as well as our monthly challenges, planned for the future.**_

_**Again, we want to take this opportunity to thank anyone for reading, reviewing, alerting, and favoriting our stories. We truly appreciate hearing from each one of you.**_


	30. Chapter 30

_Author's Note: We're excited to announce our Round 3 of our Fanfic Challenge on Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum. The __**Dealer's Choice August Challenge**__ is a great way to stretch your writing muscles! Simply suggest a pairing from the seven main Criminal Minds characters and list three different things to include in the story. (Example: You request Hotch/Emily and your prompts are a starry night, a cashmere blanket and a bottle of Merlot.) Your suggestion will be assigned to another author, and you'll receive a similar suggestion. Your final story must include your assigned pairing and must include at least two of the three prompts you were given in some capacity. Stories can be short or long, romantic or friendship, angst or humor…and anything else in between! Sign ups will continue through August 2, assignments will be given on August 3, and stories are due by August 31! Please visit the forum or shoot us a PM if you are interested in participating. We'd love to have you! And please visit the forum to read our latest interviews with the lovely KricketWilliams and the talented Ahmoselnarus! ! Also, we have began a discussion thread for our fellow author, Angel N Darkness, who was in a serious car accident on Sunday. Please say a prayer for her hasty recovery and visit the thread to leave your best wishes. Updates on her condition will be posted there as we receive them._

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Looking the Other Way**

**Chapter Thirty**

Several hours later, Jennifer Jareau walked tiredly out of the attached bathroom to the guest room she'd been assigned, toweling her still damp hair. Plucking her hairbrush from the dresser as she passed by it, she tiredly lowered her body onto the surprisingly comfortable bed. Lifting the brush to her wet locks, she smiled faintly at her reflection in the mirror.

Despite the rocky start of her introduction to the Rossi clan, the evening had been an unqualified success. After Dave's oldest sister's reluctance to accept JJ's new place in their family, which had been followed quickly by a private conversation between brother and sister, JJ could tell that Lucianna Rossi had slowly but surely allowed her frosty exterior to show signs of an early thaw. Whether this was by Dave's request or because the Rossi sister genuinely began to like her, JJ wasn't sure. But regardless of the actual cause, she was grateful for the results. While she was secure in the Dave's love for her, JJ never wanted to someone that stood between him and his famiglia, as Giovanni Rossi called it.

And what a family it was, JJ thought in mild shock, still awed by the number of people that had shown up around the polished dining room table downstairs. A boisterous lot, the Rossi table had been filled to capacity with all manner of Dave's relatives. His father, his sisters and their families, a couple of aunts, an uncle and several cousins had peppered the house with their individually unique personalities.

But in spite of their differences, they each shared one seemingly common trait. They were loud…but in that way she couldn't help but find endearing.

Her family had never been like this. The Jareaus held their emotions in check under tightly lidded seals, never meant to be breached. In contrast, the Rossi crew allowed it all to come out, usually vocalized in a raucous laugh or a rough shout. And JJ was savvy enough to realize that, because of those differences, it would take her some time to find her niche within their tightly knit group.

But, if tonight had been any indication, she was well on her way. She had survived the first round of Rossi indoctrination and lived to tell the tale.

Lifting the hairbrush to her hair and working it through her tangles, she sighed. At least she felt relatively confident of the Rossi patriarch. The kind elderly man had taken a moment tonight to guide her outside and put her at ease. He'd directed her to overlook Luce's bad attitude, chalking it up with a wicked grin and dancing eyes to early onset menopause and a cursed slug of a former husband. His direct, blunt manner of speaking was so reminiscent of his son's that she'd had to suppress a giggle more than once. It was very clear that the apple didn't fall far from the tree at all.

But for all his bluster, the elder man had made it clear that he also shared some dissimilarities with her future husband as well, assigning her a different bedroom from his son's, conveniently located next to his own. She hadn't missed the pointed look he'd exchanged with Dave when delivering that information. Arguments from Dave about it being a brand new world hadn't dissuaded the Old World believer from his room assignments, and JJ had found herself once more choking back a chuckle. This time, however, it had been at Dave's expense.

But Dave, being the good son that she had always believed him to be, had ceded the discussion to his father, finally citing a begrudging, "Your house, your rules, Papa."

Which was why as her door softly opened, JJ was more than a little shocked to see the man she loved standing on the threshold.

"You are not supposed to be in here," JJ hissed, pointing her hairbrush at his broad chest accusingly as she looked up from the bed. "Out!"

Grinning smugly as he slipped inside, closing her door with a quiet click, Dave shrugged as he leaned casually against the frame. "What Papa doesn't find out about can't kill me, Bella."

"Papa is just on the other side of that wall, David!" JJ said in a low whisper, motioning with her hairbrush toward the paneled wall. "Now, out! Now!" she insisted, rising from the bed to smack his solid chest with a frustrated hand. "I'm just getting on your family's good side!"

Watching as a bewitching flush claimed her pale cheeks, Dave chuckled, settling his hands knowingly on her towel covered hips. "The only person in the Rossi family you need to concern yourself with is this Rossi," he ordered, tugging her resistant body closer to his, unable to resist the opportunity.

"No! Nuh uh!" JJ shook her head furiously, careful to keep her voice pitched low as she attempted to place as many inches as possible between hem. "I know that look and it's definitely NOT happening."

"What look?" Dave asked innocently, his fingers tightening and stalling her sudden movement.

"Oh, don't be coy," JJ hissed, almost moaning as his hand slid from her waist to her ass, conforming her still damp body against his. "You know exactly what look."

"I don't know what you're talking about. I simply slipped in to make sure you had everything you need for tonight," Dave replied easily, gratified to hear her breath catching in her throat as his hand slid in smooth circles over the swell of one perfectly formed buttock.

"How kind," JJ ground out sarcastically under her breath as she felt his other hand walking up her back to caress the skin between her shoulder blades. Drawing in a deep breath, she declared, "As you can see, I'm perfectly fine. I've got everything I need in here...bathroom, bed, television."

"Ah," Dave breathed against her ear, inhaling that intoxicating blend that made her uniquely his, "I think you're missing one important item, Babe."

"And what's that?" JJ snapped, wincing as she realized her voice had carried. "Spit it out and leave. Preferably before you get us caught!" she whispered frantically, glancing self-consciously toward the bedroom door.

"That's gonna be difficult, Jen," Dave murmured against her ear, his arms circling her narrow waist completely and pulling her flush against his aroused body, "since I'm the missing ingredient."

"No," JJ moaned against his neck, cursing herself for allowing herself to be manipulated into his entirely too capable hands. "Your father is right next door and probably has his ear pressed to the wall right now," she muttered, trying to squirm out of his strong arms without success. "I'm trying to make a good impression here, Dave, and you aren't helping," she gasped as one of his warm palms cupped her breast through the thin towel.

"My father is as deaf as a fencepost unless he's reading your lips," Dave murmured, nipping at her jaw line. "Besides, we'll be quiet. It'll be good practice for when the kids begin to come," he reasoned, dropping a hand to stroke her abdomen, fingering the edge of the towel where it overlapped.

"You've never been quiet a day in your life," JJ complained, biting her lip as her towel began to slip, apparently aided by his roving hands. "I mean it, Dave. We're not having sex tonight."

"Fine," Dave said softly, biting back a grin, "we won't have sex," he murmured, his voice expressing just the right amount of resignation.

If only JJ had noticed the glimmer in his eyes before she allowed herself to relax, she might not have been so quick to believe his sudden change of heart.


	31. Chapter 31

_Author's Note: We're excited to announce our Round 3 of our Fanfic Challenge on Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum. The __**Dealer's Choice August Challenge**__ is a great way to stretch your writing muscles! Please see the forum for further details. We'd love to have you! And please visit the forum to read our latest interview with the simply amazing **Mingsmommy**__! And, please remember our fellow author,__** Angel N Darkness**__, who was in a serious car accident on Sunday. Visit the discussion thread to leave your best wishes. Updates on her condition will be posted there as we receive them. We've also added four new discussion threads, __**"Let's Play, "Name**__**Your Beta""**__ for those of you that want to publicly recognize and recommend your beta and __**"Chit Chat with the Authors"**__ for those that have questions related to writing and Criminal Minds fanfiction, **"The Art of the Well Written Sex Scene"** for those of us that struggle with those intimate moments in our stories and **"Let's Take a Good Thing and Make it Better"** to gather suggestions on how to make this forum even bigger and brighter. Please drop by and check it out._

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Looking the Other Way**

**Chapter Thirty-One**

"I don't have any interest in having sex with you anyway," he whispered seductively against her ear, smiling in silent victory as her body swayed against his.

"You don't?" JJ asked, slightly shocked and highly suspicious as she glanced up into his glittering eyes. Nope, that barely contained glint was still present and accounted for in his onyx orbs. Her soon-to-be-husband was definitely not practicing any form of self-control.

"Nope," Dave grinned wickedly, backing her slight body towards the bed and toppling her onto it with one smooth motion, grinning at her high-pitched squeak. "I'm much more interested in making love to my future wife. It's much more satisfying than mere sex."

"Dave," JJ whispered breathlessly as his comfortable weight settled over her, easily pinning her to the noisy bed. "This is a really bad idea," she told him half-heartedly, her fingers making a futile attempt to push him away.

"Relax, Bella," Dave soothed, pressing small kisses along the line of her jaw as one hand unsnapped his jeans. "You know I'll stop the second that you truly want to."

"I know," JJ moaned, unable to stop the sudden pitter-pattering of her heart as his insistent lips attacked her cheeks. "That's part of the problem. Once you start, I'm not going to want to stop," she complained, running her hands up and down his strong back.

"Just because you don't stop doesn't mean that I can't," Dave whispered suggestively, loosening her towel and pulling it from her damp nude body in a single sweeping motion. Staring down at her body, bathed in a dewy rosy glow, he smiled wistfully. "God, it always amazes me just how beautiful you are," he murmured, pressing a reverent kiss to the arch of her neck.

"I love it when you say things like that," JJ admitted softly, pressing upward into his touch. "You're the only man on earth that's ever actually made me feel beautiful."

"Shouldn't be so hard," he grunted, trailing kisses down her throat over the gentle swell of her breasts, "You're gorgeous," he murmured before taking one dusky nipple between his lips and torturing it with the tip of his tongue.

"Dave," she panted, squirming against his mouth. "You know what that does to me," she whispered frantically, feeling her core clench.

"Why do you think I'm doing it?" Dave smirked around her breast, pulling the nipple tightly into his mouth and suckling firmly.

"Ahhhh," JJ breathed, squeezing her eyes closed as pleasure assaulted her senses and he moved to offer her breast's twin equal attention. Burying her fingers in his thick hair, she huskily admitted, "That feels so good...so relaxing."

"Tastes even better," Dave said softly, licking a raspberry tipped nipple greedily. Pulling back slightly to continue kissing a path down the taut swell of her abdomen, he mumbled, "But as much as I love your breasts, the delicacy I want is further south."

"Oh, God," JJ gasped, eyes widening as his mouth inexorably found her center, lavishing it with an openmouthed carnal kiss.

"Dave," JJ moaned softly as his lips and tongue pushed her body toward paradise, "Oh, God, David!"

Lifting his head to stare up into her flushed face, he asked, his tone fairly daring her to object, "Am I stopping, babe?"

Biting her lip as she glanced back at the wall behind her nervously, she finally met his eyes again and shook her head. "I can't," she whispered, reaching out a trembling hand down to push at the waistband of his jeans. "I want you."

Kissing a path back up her body, Dave groaned quietly as JJ widened her legs and his manhood dragged along her secrets. "I want you, too. Like an addiction, Bella. I can't get enough."

"Yes," JJ breathed, feeling his heavy length probing her gently.

Thrusting shallowly, both winced as the bed creaked loudly in the still room, the sound harsh in a silence previously colored only by their soft moans and sighs and whispered exchanges. "Damned bed," he rasped against her ear, buried inside her warm, wet depths.

Squirming underneath the man she loved, JJ worried, her whisper sounding loud even to her own ears, "Dave, he'll now!"

"Shhh," Dave hushed her, pressing his lips to hers tenderly. "There's never been a problem yet that we haven't been able to surmount, Babe. Especially in the bedroom," he grinned wickedly, carelessly throwing a couple of pillows to the carpeted floor.

"Maybe it's a sign, Dave," JJ murmured, eyes widening as his strong arms quickly lifted her and deposited her in the floor against the mound of cushions.

"Like hell," Dave retorted, sealing his lips to hers as he straddled her naked body and shrugged his shirt off, tossing it over his shoulder.

Pushing his trousers further down over his lean hips, JJ giggled as the constraining garment finally hit the ground. "Once again, you've proved where there's a will, there's a way."

"For you, Babe," Dave grinned against her lips. "Always," he breathed, sinking back into her heat with a satisfied groan against her ear.

Arching her neck as he slowly built the intensity of his thrusts, JJ whispered, "You're such a bad influence on me."

"I'd better be the only influence on or around you, Beautiful," he bit out, suppressing a raw groan as her small hands cupped him intimately.

"Only you, Dave," JJ assured him fervently. "Only you," she breathed, her nails digging into his back as his strokes lengthened. "I love you so much," she panted against his ear as her release drew closer, her muscles straining toward that ultimate pinnacle she'd found in his arms countless times before.

"God, yes!" Dave groaned, burying his face against her neck and inhaling her sweet essence. "I never get tired of hearing that. I love you, too, tesoro. So much," he bit out, determinedly driving their bodies toward fulfillment.

"Yes, yes, yes," JJ softly chanted against Dave's sweaty neck as she felt herself rapidly drawing closer and closer to that sharp precipice of passion. "Don't stop, Dave!" she begged, lifting her hips to receive each powerful stroke of his body. "Please don't stop!"

"Shhhh," Dave murmured, covering her mouth with his to stifle her pleas and pouring all his love and desire into their embrace. "I've got you, Bella. Let yourself go," he urged against her mouth, his fingertips stroking her lush breasts as their bodies moved together in perfect harmony.

Release, when it came, was swift and overwhelming for JJ. Screaming into his mouth as her body tightened around him, she tightened her arms around him, hanging on for dear life as shudders overtook her slim body.

As soon as he felt JJ's orgasm slamming into her, Dave gave himself silent permission to let go, rolling to his back as he helped her continue to ride him, her body pushing him to the edge and robbing him of coherent thought as he exploded inside her, filling her with evidence of his desire.

Panting heavily as she collapsed against his spent body, JJ sighed. "So amazing," she breathed, overwhelmed by what they'd experienced together.

"And so worth breaking every rule in the book for," Dave grinned happily, pressing a last kiss to her head before closing his eyes.


	32. Chapter 32

**_Author's Note_**_: We're excited to announce our Round 3 of our Fanfic Challenge on Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum. The **Dealer's Choice August Challenge** is a great way to stretch your writing muscles! Please see the forum for further details. We'd love to have you! And please visit the forum to read our latest interviews with the simply amazing **SussiRay and cmfanbex**! And please join our newest discussion threads, **"What's on Your Bookshelf"** where readers tell us about the published books and authors that inspire them and **"The Art of the Well-Crafted** **Author's Note...To Write or Not To Write"**. Please drop by and check them out. And lastly, please keep our fellow authors, **Angel N Darkness** and **Darcie91 **within your prayers. Both ladies have been in serious accidents and have separate discussion threads where readers and authors alike may leave their best wishes! That's all for this time folks! Thanks to all who have read, reviewed, favorited or alerted our stories. We continue to appreciate each one of you!_

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Looking the Other Way**

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

The moment her eyes opened, Jennifer Jareau knew that she wasn't in her own bed. The sunlight, welcome as it may be, was blinding her from the wrong direction, and loud voices were sounding in the distance. Something was definitely off.

The only thing that felt normal in her suddenly topsy turvy world was the warm, solid arms surrounding her body, tucking her close to the strong chest of the man she loved. Now that was a feeling that she was well- accustomed to, she thought with a sleepy smile as she unconsciously snuggled closer to that wonderful warmth.

But her smile suddenly turned to a quick frown as her slowly awakening mind reminded her of exactly where she was. And why the man in her bed definitely shouldn't be there.

Wincing as she heard another shout somewhere in the strange house, JJ tried to pull away from Dave's suddenly tightening arms as she swatted at his hand. "Dave! Wake up! You fell asleep in my bed!"

His sleepy voice rumbled around her frantic words as he yawned, "Do that every night, babe. Never heard you complain about it before."

"We weren't in your father's house then, Dave!" JJ exclaimed in a harsh whisper, jerking at the covers as she realized that somehow, in the night, she had managed to lose important parts of her clothing. "You have to get back to your room before your father and sisters realize what has happened!"

"Babe, I'm pretty sure my father will survive the shock," Dave grinned, winking at her as he watched her face redden. Damn, she was a beauty, especially when she was flustered.

"Well, I don't want to have to survive my mortification," JJ hissed, slapping his still sheet covered abdomen sharply as a loud knock landed against the door, vibrating through the tense room.

Having the forethought to jerk the comforter against the front of her body just as the bedroom door swung open, JJ suddenly wished the floor would simply absorb her entire being as she stared across the room into the dark knowing eyes of Dave's eldest sister.

To her credit, Luce took in the situation in one swift glance. "Red's a good color on you, Jen," Luce said easily, straight-faced as she nodded at the pale woman's abnormally bright face as she swiftly closed the door behind her and leaned against it. "And you," she said with a roll of her eyes as she turned her gaze on her younger brother, "can stop grinning like a Cheshire cat that just found the bowl of cream."

"Don't worry, Sis. I found the cream and all traces of the evidence have been removed," Dave winked, reaching for a pillow and stuffing it behind his head.

"David!" JJ hissed, scandalized as she slapped at his shoulder again.

"Please," Luce snorted, rolling her dark eyes, "save me the gory details, Brother Mine, and get your ass out of that bed! Dad's on the rampage." Glancing toward a nervous JJ, Luce smiled reassuringly as the other woman felt around the bed for her robe. "Take a breath, JJ. Dave and I have played Operation Save His Idiot Ass more than once," she informed the nervous woman as she picked Dave's discarded boxers up off the bedroom floor and threw them in his direction.

"My ass isn't really the part of my anatomy that I'm worried about saving here, Luce. I think JJ's gonna be going after more important parts, thanks to your early morning arrival," Dave complained, shimmying into his boxers underneath the covers. Throwing off the once necessary sheet, Dave began crawling out of the bed. "I'll just slip back into my room and nobody will be the wiser."

"Yeah, about that," Luce smirked, propping one hand on her hip as she arched a dark brow. "Ari's already making the rounds and is stripping the bed in your room as we speak. And you know as well as I do that girl never could keep a secret."

"The bed was still made, Luce," Dave groaned, scrubbing a hand over his still drowsy eyes. "Why the hell is she stripping it?"

"Hey, I told you fifteen years ago that sister of ours needed therapy for that OCD of hers," Luce replied unsympathetically with a shrug of her thin shoulders. "YOU said she'd grow out of it," she reminded him with a grim smile.

"You didn't say she needed therapy at the time, Luce," Dave countered, slipping on his shirt and buttoning the front quickly. "I believe your actual statement was, 'Our sister is bat shit crazy, Davey. Lock her up with all that new money of yours.'"

"Oh, dear Lord," JJ muttered, half to herself and half to the room at large, as she heard a muffled masculine voice shouting.

Seeing JJ's worried expression as she stared at the door, Luce shook her head supportively. "Don't worry about that, JJ. That's just Pop. He lost on the ponies again last night and he just found out about it."

"I thought we decided that we weren't gonna let him do that anymore," Dave frowned at Luce, his eyes narrowing at his older sister.

"No, Davey," Luce said sarcastically, matching his tone, "Actually your words were, 'Somebody needs to put a leash on that father of ours. Next time he places a bet, I'm putting him in a home.'" Looking at JJ, she added, "That was ten years ago. And what do we have now? No home, and no heart to heart talks with our father from this one," she said, jerking her head toward Dave.

"Why the hell is everything always my fault?" Dave grumbled, glancing around the wooden floor for any signs of his missing socks.

"Oh for crying out loud," Luce groaned as she turned back toward the entrance. "Would you get over the middle child syndrome already and hurry up! I hear him on the stairs!" Luce said, pressing an ear to the door.

"Well, how the hell would you like me to vacate the premises?" Dave hissed when Luce pressed a finger to her lips, shushing him.

"Unless you'd like me to help you vacate your life in a real permanent way, I'd suggest you figure it out," JJ whispered violently, smacking his arm as she tugged the sheets tighter around her nude body. "I TOLD you staying last night was a bad idea!"

Eyes twinkling at the feuding couple, Luce gestured toward the bedroom window. "You know what to do, Davey," she whispered, tilting her head toward the sunlit exit.

"No," Dave declared in a loud hiss, looking over his shoulder with horrified eyes.

"The trellis is exactly where you left it twenty-five years ago," Luce giggled, pressing her fingers to her lips as she added, somewhat sisterly, "And try not to fall this time."

Hanging his head in recognized defeat, Dave trudged to the window, jerking open the ancient frame with one hand as he glanced back at JJ. "This oughta show exactly how much I love you, Bella," Dave muttered, hoisting one leg out in resignation.

And as the rest of Dave's body disappeared a moment later, JJ shook her head dumbly as she slumped on the bed…only to jerk upright a second later as a thud and Dave's muffled curse filtered in the open window.

Peering over the ledge, the flustered blonde couldn't help her laughter as Luce's practical voice announced with barely-hidden glee, "Don't worry, JJ. He bounced."


	33. Chapter 33

**_Author's Note__: We're excited to announce our Round 3 of our Fanfic Challenge on "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum is up to 66 participants. And you still have two more days to sign up if interested. We'd love to have everyone, whether you've authored hundreds of stories or never written a thing! This is for everyone! The Dealer's Choice August Challenge is a great way to stretch your writing muscles! Please see the forum for further details. And if you've never visited the forum, drop by for a visit. Everyone interested in Criminal Minds fanfiction and/or writing is welcome. We'd love to have you! As always, we want to take a moment and say thanks to all who have read, reviewed, favorited or alerted our stories. We continue to appreciate each one of you!_**

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Looking the Other Way**

**Chapter Thirty-Three**

In the three point five seconds it took David Rossi to fall from the edge of the trellis to the ground below, he realized two very important things.

First of all, his body was betraying him at a very crucial juncture in his life. His footing was apparently not nearly as sure as it had been a few decades earlier. Hell, he was engaged to a woman twenty years younger than him, and now was not the time to act like an old man, was it?

And second, apparently no matter how old he was, his father was still going to be aware of his every move. He was certain there was some law against such a thing, but he doubted that he would ever be able to make charges stick.

This second revelation was by far the more important of the morning, whether he wished it to be or not.

Wincing as he tried to pull up from the hard, unforgiving front lawn, Dave groaned as he heard the cackles from his older sister, the sound carrying quite nicely from the second story window above. Cracking open one eye in search of the demon that was his sibling, Dave found himself instead staring up into the knowing eyes of his elderly father. And those eyes were not exactly filled with kindness and understanding.

"Here, sonny," the elder Rossi ordered as he dropped a hammer beside his prone son's head. "Gonna need that in a minute. Seems to me you need to be involved in more productive activities."

"Pop, I can explain," Dave groaned, struggling to sit up as he cast a quick glare upstairs, only to see the window slam quickly.

"I doubt it. I didn't believe you when you tried this move twenty-five years ago. Nobody told you that you're too old to be playing Superman?"

"It was Luce's idea," Dave muttered, wincing as he shifted his shoulders.

"Yeah, you said that all those years ago, too. And I see that you were still stupid enough to follow her advice," the aged Rossi snorted knowingly. "But, since you've got a penchant for heights, now's a good a time as any to be fixing the roof."

"Pop," Dave groaned, pushing up on the grass as he dusted off his shirt. "I think it's a little too early in the morning for home repairs, don't you? Besides, whatever you need done, I'm sure I can find a contractor to come out here and..."

"And, what? Pay hard earned money to do something that you and I can do with just a little elbow grease? Pah!" Gio spat disgustedly, waving his wrinkled hands in the warm morning air. "Or are those silky hands of yours to good to help your papa fix his roof?"

"Oh, hell, Pop," Dave grunted, his knees protesting mightily as he rose from the ground, "You know that isn't it."

"Then come along," Gio ordered, gesturing toward the roof slanted against the side of the house. "We've work to do."

Sighing in defeat, Dave trudged after his determined father, their footsteps falling in tandem as they skirted the edge of the flower bed. "What's this I hear about the ponies, Pop?" Dave asked, following his father slowly up the ladder. "I thought we agreed that you'd place moratorium on the betting."

"Your sister has loose lips," Gio complained under his breath as he surely reached for another rung. "It was just a friendly wager, my son."

"How friendly?" Dave queried suspiciously, carefully stepping onto the slanted roof, avoiding the loosened tile on the edge.

Pointing out the loose shingles, Gio dismissed easily, "Friendly enough."

"Pop," Dave began, his voice tinged with warning.

"Five hundred," Gio finally divulged, his mouth tightening as he squinted against the morning sun. "I'm a grown man, David. If I wanna bet, I'll bet."

"Fine," Dave replied calmly, shifting his weight as he took a step to right. "I just hope Mama isn't waiting for you at the Gates with St. Peter. Else, you're never gettin' into Paradise."

"And you think you'll be getting in sooner than me, Davey? Three failed marriages and not one divorce sanctioned by the Church. And working on the fourth. Not to mention the premarital relations going on under your father's roof. Exactly how many of the commandments are left that you haven't broken?" Gio smirked, tilting his hammer in his son's direction as he watched Dave bend over. "I don't think you wanna cast the first stone, do you, my son?"

Pounding the first shingle back into place with ease, Dave glanced up at his father. "You know that wasn't what I was doing, Papa. Luce and Ari worry. I worry."

"Nothing to worry about," Gio said with a shake of his white head. "Just a little fun to pass what's left of my time here on earth."

"You sure you're square with everybody, Pop?" Dave asked as he banged another shingle back into place. "No outstanding debts I need to know about?"

"A man pays his own way," Gio said firmly, his tone filled with pride as he reached for a stack of shingles.

"You and Mama paid my way until I left home," Dave countered, "and you didn't answer my question. So, I'll ask again. Are you squared with the bookies, Pop?"

"I'm square," Gio muttered, handing Dave another nail from his pocket.

Sitting back on his hindquarters, Dave looked up at his father. "Are you sure you don't wanna think some more about that retirement community that Luce and Ari found, Papa? You'd have more things to do...maybe stay busier..."

"And maybe, stop playing the horses?" Gio supplied, raising an eyebrow at his son. "David, I'm fine. I lost a little money. So what?"

"I'm not worried about the money, Pop? I'm worried about you. The boys running those shows aren't the same as they were twenty years ago, you know?" Dave replied, his voice concerned as he took a good look at his aged father. The sun illuminated every wrinkle on the man's tanned face, reminding Dave quickly of exactly how many years his father had seen. "You never know what you might stumble on, placing a harmless bet."

"I might be getting old, son, but, I'm not senile yet," Gio said defiantly, crossing his arms over his chest. "And while I might love my children, we'll be sledding in hell before I take orders from any of you. Capisce?"

"Understood," Dave nodded, nailing in the last board, the former broken spot in the roof covered once again. "But you'll let me know if you need anything?"

And patting his son's head as he moved toward the ladder, Gio laughed. "I'll let you know, my son. But, if I were you, I'd be worrying more about what I say to that beauty that slept on the other side of my wall last night. Or...should I say, had a lack of sleep?"

"Pop!" Dave growled, glaring at his father as he watched the man's graying head start to descend down the ladder. "Be nice!"

"I'm your father, David. What else could I be?" Gio asked with twinkling eyes, wriggling his bushy eyebrows at his only son.


	34. Chapter 34

_**Author's Note: We have a couple of announcements for you all today. **_

_**We're proud to announce that signups are open for the Fanfic Challenge - Round 4 on our forum, "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" or, as we like to call it, the "PYOP Challenge" (pick your own pairing challenge) through September 1st. For those interested, simply go to the forum to the PYOP Challenge thread and sign up with your favorite pairing. On September 2nd, we'll assign you a scenario to write provided by some of our lovely fellow authors. This will give everybody an opportunity to write what they love and provide readers with some awesome stories. Please sign up at the forum or shoot us a PM signifying your willingness to participate. So, please come join the fun and let's make this the most successful challenge yet!**_

_**We also have wonderful new interviews with the lovely Sarramaks and hot4cullenmen! Please check it out and let them know your thoughts!**_

_**We've also added two fun new prompt threads. One is called, "Fortune Cookie Fridays" based on an idea submitted by LoveforPenandDerek. Come by and check it out...perhaps, it will feed the muse. And the other is called, "Getting to Know...YOU! Tell us about yourself" It asks five simple questions that allow readers and authors alike to briefly tell us about who they are.**_

_**And, as always, thanks to everybody still reading, reviewing, alerting and favoriting our stories. We couldn't do this without your support!**_

* * *

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Looking the Other Way**

**Chapter Thirty-Four**

Stepping back inside the house that had once up on a time been his child hood home, Dave dusted off his jeans as he immediately headed toward the flight of stairs in the foyer. If he knew his Jennifer, and he did, he was certain that she would be attempting to find a way to escape their current situation.

And he was not about to allow that to happen. He had managed to get her here to meet his family, and by God, he was going to continue on with the next step of his plan!

Ignoring the sounds of his sisters' voices coming from the kitchen, he took the steps two by two with ease, well accustomed to avoiding the squeaky risers. Finally stopping in the open doorway to the room he had shared with his beloved just the night earlier, he raised one brow as he watched the blonde deftly tuck the worn bedspread into place as she slapped the double pillows against the headboard.

Leaning against the frame, he chuckled as he said, "You know you don't have to make up the bed here, cara. I'm sure Ari's just chomping at the bit to start slinging sheets and flipping pillowcases."

Turning sharply at the sound of his voice, JJ narrowed her eyes as she slammed her hands to her hips. "She's already been in here, Dave. She was insistent that we do everything but flip the mattress." Drawing in a deep breath, JJ shook her head as she muttered, moving past him and headed toward the staircase, "I'm as anal retentive as the next clean freak, but I think Luce is right. Ari might need some professional intervention. She vacuumed the mattress, Dave! What exactly did she think you and I did that room last night?"

"Now, bella," Dave soothed as they reached the landing and turned toward the kitchen. "That's just Ari. She doesn't mean any harm."

"No," Luce drawled from the sink, grinning as she easily deduced the parts of the conversation she had missed. "She's just meaner than a one eared alley cat if you come between her and her vacuum cleaner."

"I heard that!" a strident voice called from somewhere downstairs.

"Did I mention she has ears like a bat, too?" Luce asked over her shoulder, raising one brow knowingly.

"Quit picking on Ari, Lucia," Dave ordered sternly, crossing his arms over his chest. Old habits died hard and he'd always been incredibly loyal to his baby sister. Defending her was a way of life for him. Was it his fault if the rest of his family couldn't see how special she was?

"Hmphh!," Luce snorted, rinsing a glass in the sink, "We'll see if you're still saying that when you find out who she invited to dinner tonight."

Oh, hell, Dave mentally groaned as his fiancée looked between him and his sister. Luce was being cryptic AND ominous…and that was never a good sign. Slipping his arm around JJ, Dave shot his sister a telling look. "What the hell are you talking about, Sis?"

Smiling wickedly, Luce ordered as she dried her hands on a worn dishtowel, "Ask me who's coming to dinner, Davey."

"Oh, God," JJ muttered, shaking her head as she glanced worriedly around the sunny kitchen. "Tell me there isn't another sibling. I don't think I can handle another Rossi right now," she shook her head, rubbing her temples. Slowly, it was dawning on her that she was going to be RELATED to these people.

God help her. Please.

Turning around, Luce leaned against the kitchen counter as she smiled slyly at Dave. "I'll give you a hint," she winked. Pressing a hand to her heart, she rolled her eyes, emitting a highly dramatic, "Oy! Vey!"

"NO!" Dave groaned, jaw dropping as he shook his head, taking a step backwards as he barely resisted forming the sign of the cross.

"Oh yeah," Luce nodded determinedly.

"She didn't," Dave growled, rubbing his head, wondering if it was possible to suddenly develop an aneurysm just from thoughts alone.

"But she did," Luce countered. "The Devil's handmaiden is coming to dinner."

"What the hell are you two talking about?" JJ asked, looking between brother and sister as she wondered, not for the first time, if she might need to have this family tested for signs of genetic tendencies toward outright craziness. God knew she didn't want any future children to carry that gene!

"They're talking about Pop's girlfriend," Ari said, bustling through the door way with a set frown on her face. "And it's very rude."

"She's not his girlfriend," Dave and Luce declared in unison, their tones and expressions identical.

Rolling her eyes, Ari exchanged a look with a confused JJ. "Ignore them," she said, thumbing toward Luce even as she smiled at JJ. "These two refuse to believe our father didn't bury his heart in the grave with our mother."

"That isn't true," Dave denied immediately, his eyes narrowing as he added, "But I refuse to believe he has deeper feelings for a woman our mother despised in life."

"Who the hell are we talking about?" JJ asked, trying to keep up with the obviously convoluted conversation.

"Ethyl Wienstein, the owner of the Jewish deli over on 13th Avenue," Luce explained waspishly, her lips literally pursing as she spoke the other woman's name.

"Wait!" JJ said slowly, shaking her head rapidly as she held up a hand, "Are you saying your devout Italian Catholic elderly father is dating the proprietress of a Jewish deli?"

"And has been for the past year," Ari nodded, smiling widely.

"He is not!" Luce insisted, shuddering as she closed her eyes against the thought.

"Lucia, she has slumber parties here," Ari said slowly, as if explaining things to a toddler.

"In Mama's bed?" Dave shouted, his cheeks flushing as he jerked his head toward the stairs, his imagination already well ahead of his comprehension.

"Well, I didn't ask where they were doing things, Davey," Ari retorted sarcastically. "Why don't YOU go ask him?" she invited sweetly, gesturing toward the door.

"I need to sit down," Dave mumbled, paling under the implications of this new information as he blindly reached for a kitchen chair.

"HOW long did you say it had been since you've been home?" JJ asked with wide eyes, glancing toward the man she loved as he eased down at the table, the legs of the chair scraping loudly against the scarred wooden floor.

"SEE the fun you've been missing?" Luce chortled sarcastically as she flung the dishtowel down onto the countertop.

"And I hate to be the one that tells you two this..." Ari said hesitantly, "but, I'm pretty sure there's gonna be a big announcement tonight."

"What now?" Dave groaned, his head falling into his hand.

"I do believe our father has made the decision to live in sin," Ari announced dramatically, her eyes widening.

And with those evil words, Jennifer Jareau began frantically looking for an escape route.


	35. Chapter 35

_**Author's Note: Hello, readers! Again, several announcements to make...please visit our discussion forum, "Chit Chat on Author's Corner". We have introduced a new discussion thread called, "Announcing the Profiler's Choice Criminal Minds Awards on fanfiction. net 2010". Please see this thread for tentative guidelines and know that more details are coming soon. With all of the readers and authors support, I believe we can make this venture an incredibly fun experience! So, please everyone, come on over and take a look. **_

_**Thanks to everyone taking the time to continue reading our work. As always, we couldn't ask for better readers than those in the CM fandom and we appreciate everyone taking time to let us know what you think!**_

_**We have a couple more announcements for you all today. We're proud to announce that signups are open for the Fanfic Challenge - Round 4 on our forum, "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" or, as we like to call it, the "PYOP Challenge" (pick your own pairing challenge) through September 1st. For those interested, simply go to the forum to the PYOP Challenge thread and sign up with your favorite pairing. On September 2nd, we'll assign you a scenario to write provided by some of our lovely fellow authors. This will give everybody an opportunity to write what they love and provide readers with some awesome stories. Please sign up at the forum or shoot us a PM signifying your willingness to participate. So, please come join the fun and let's make this the most successful challenge yet!**_

_**We've also added a new 'Getting to Know" interview with our fellow author, canny-bairn. Please check it out!**_

* * *

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Not Looking**

**Chapter Thirty-Five**

David Rossi's horrified voice literally boomed throughout the airy kitchen of his childhood home as he bellowed, "What the hell do you mean by that, Ari?" For a moment, he wondered if somehow he had been dropped into an alternate dimension where all that he held close and holy had been completely turned upside down without his advance knowledge. Glancing over at the petite blonde hovering at the edge of the table, he reminded himself that at least he still had Jennifer. For the moment, he added to himself, his thoughts darkening. God help him if his completely crazed family managed to drive her away after everything they had been through already.

"I think it's crystal clear what she meant, Davey," Luce interjected, crossing her arms over her chest as she stared violently at her younger sister. Her nostrils flaring as she let out a deep breath, she demanded, "But I want to know in the name of God and all the angels how that she knows what she knows!"

Rolling her eyes at the obvious theatrics of her older siblings, Ari flicked a dishtowel toward her sister as she exclaimed, "Like it's not as obvious as the nose on your face, sister! Ethyl's been telling everyone that will listen in that nasal voice of hers that she just can't wait to redecorate Papa's bedroom." Wrinkling her nose, she added, derision filling her voice, "Or the boudoir as she so genteely refers to it!"

"I don't care what word that waspish witch uses, she's not setting up housekeeping in my mother's home, God rest her soul! I won't have it!" Luce declared, her size seven foot stomping not-very –delicately against the aged hardwood floor. Turning toward her brother, she demanded, imperiously, "You fix this, Davey. Fix it now. You hear me?"

"What the hell am I supposed to do, Luce?" Dave snapped back, his jaw tightening as he shook his head, attempting to remove all possible unwanted visions from his overactive imagination. Groaning, he dropped his head into his hands as he muttered, "Why her? Of all the women in the neighborhood, why HER?"

Watching as her fiancé and his sisters alternately railed and rambled against the fickle fates, JJ wasn't sure why she was willingly about to step foot into what was obviously a family fray. But she also knew that she just couldn't stop herself, the urge for information entirely too tempting. Inching closer to Dave, she asked softly, "I don't mean to add fuel to your fire, but who exactly is this woman that you're talking about and why do you dislike her so much?"

"Ethyl Wienstien," Dave shuddered, closing his eyes tightly as he ground out the name.

"You already told me her name," JJ huffed, crossing her arms over her chest as she glared at the insufferable man. "I mean, why is this a big deal?"

"She was mama's arch nemesis for thirty years," Dave muttered, his eyes darkening with the thoughts of the past.

"Why?" JJ asked blankly, glancing from Dave to each of his sisters, truly hoping that one of them…or all of them would suddenly begin to answer in complete sentences sometime in the near future.

"It all started with a cake," Ari sighed, leaning back against the counter as she laced her fingers together, pressing them against her stomach.

"A cake?" JJ grimaced, trying to follow.

"A cake," Dave, Luce and Ari declared as the all spoke and nodded in unison.

Taking pity on her soon-to-be sister-in-law, Luce drew in a deep breath as she motioned for JJ to sit down at the kitchen table. "See, Arty Cavanaugh, the owner of the corner bar, had just died and everyone was bringing food for the wake. Mama always brought the cakes to wakes and funerals and such," Luce explained, dropping into the kitchen chair across from Dave, resting her elbows on the table.

"Nobody made cakes like Mama. Especially Italian Crème. It melted in your mouth," Dave reminisced dreamily, a smile crossing his lips as he almost licked them with the memory.

"Anyway," Luce said, rolling her eyes at her brother's obvious childish antics, "Everybody knew the unwritten rules of the neighborhood...the dessert was mama's deal and everybody respected that."

"Right up until Ethyl," Ari sighed, taking up the conversation as she pulled up a kitchen stool to the edge of the table. "That was the year she moved to the neighborhood and opened the Jewish Deli. She brought a Jewish Apple Cake to the wake. And she moved Mama's Italian Crème to make room for it."

"She dropped it on the floor, Ari," Luce stated baldly, banging her open hand on the table, the centerpiece bouncing with the vibration.

"She swears it was an accident," Ari reminded her sister, holding up both hands as she shifted on the stool.

"It wasn't," Dave retorted flatly, resting his chin on his fist as he stared at his younger sister. "I was standing right there. She knew exactly what she was doing. And so did Mama."

"At any rate," Ari said wearily with a long-suffering look at JJ, her dark Rossi eyes flashing for a moment, "she was forever known as the cake killer in our house and was persona non grata as far as our mother was concerned."

"And none of you have ever forgiven her for killing the cake?" JJ asked carefully, looking around the gathered Rossi siblings.

"We never forgave her for humiliating Mama," Dave growled, softening his voice for a moment as he caught the dark look JJ threw back at him. "The woman is a menace. I can't believe Pop would..."

"Can't believe your papa would what, Davey?" Gio Rossi asked from the doorway of the kitchen.

Jerking his head toward the sound of his father's voice, Dave pushed up out of his chair as he demanded, "Is it true, Pop? Are you making time with Mama's enemy?"


	36. Chapter 36

**Author's Note: First of all, we have exciting news, my friends! Nominating ballots for "The Profiler's Choice Awards" are ready and waiting for you at the "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum. So please, everyone, come on over and name some of your favorite fics and authors. Lets honor our favorite stories and authors on the site! We want to hear from you. Rules and guidelines are also available at the forum and as always, tonnie2001969 and I would be delighted to answer any questions that you may have. **

**For anyone willing to help us advertise the awards, we've created a short author's note template available on both my profile page (ilovetvalot) and my co-author's (tonnie2001969). We'd love to have everybody's help making this venture a huge and fun success. Please feel free to copy and paste it into your own author's notes and/or profiles! With your help, I believe this can become an annual event that we ALL look forward to seeing. I hope that you're all as eager as I am to see this incredible project lift off.**

**There is still one day remaining if you'd like to sign up for the "PYOP" (Pick Your Own Pairing) challenge at "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum. Please join us in making this our most exciting challenge yet. So far, we have 81 participants and we can't wait to read all of the wonderful stories! Details and sign-ups are waiting for you.**

**Finally, we've added a new discussion thread that will hopefully become a useful resource for everyone at the forum called, "Finding a Beta on Chit Chat on Author's Corner". If you'd like to advertise your beta skills and make yourself available to other authors, please come sign up. We'd love to hear from you!**

* * *

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Not Looking**

**Chapter Thirty-Six**

Raising one graying shaggy brow, Gio Rossi looked blandly at his only son as he said, his deep voice even, "Filia, I'm not certain who you might be speaking of. Perhaps you'd like to be clearer?" Casting his eyes over at JJ, he grinned as he added, knowingly, "My son, he's not always clear, is he? And he claims to be a writer."

Drawing in a deep breath as he stifled the growl threatening to erupt, Dave met his father's deep gaze as he answered, far more calmly than he felt, "Don't play dumb with me, Pops. You know who I'm talking about. "

Moving to stand by her brother, Luce mimicked his pose, shoulders squared and arms crossed over her chest, as she added, "And there's only one person Mama despised with the fury of God's own angels, Papa. You know it, I know it….even the entire parish knows it!"

"I'll thank you kindly to keep your collective noses out of my business. I'm a grown man, older by far than all of you, and what I do in my own house shouldn't concern you two," Gio declared, glaring at his two oldest children. Turning to glance at his younger daughter, he added, his tone dropping with disappointment, "And you, petita. You tell everything you know now?"

Shrugging her slim shoulders as she ignored her father's tone, Ari responded lightly, "Only things they're going to find out anyway, Papa. You know you couldn't keep this from them forever. Ethyl showing up at the breakfast table one day would have been a dead giveaway, don't you think?"

Dave's groan filled the airy room then, and JJ felt herself wince as Gio turned his glare back in their direction. "Please, Ari," Dave demanded, scrubbing his hand over his face, "Don't give me those mental pictures! It's been a long morning already, thank you very much."

"You think to sit in judgment of me, my son? YOU that has broken more of God's rules than anyone standing in this room?" Gio asked condemningly, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I wouldn't have taken up with Mama's enemy," Dave snapped, his cheeks going ruddy under his father's scrutiny. How in the world had this suddenly become about him?

"Now, that's not exactly true," Luce noted archly, glancing toward her brother. "She did hate wife number two with an unholy passion." And glancing toward a shocked JJ, she quickly reached out to squeeze JJ's arm gently. "But she would have adored you, JJ."

"Thanks," JJ mumbled uncertainly, her eyes rapidly moving between the angry senior Rossi and his equally angry son. "Dave...," she murmured, lightly touching his stiffened shoulder, "why don't we..."

"Leave?" Dave supplied tightly, surging to his feet as he grabbed JJ's hand tightly. "I think that would be an excellent idea, Jen."

"What!" Luce exclaimed, grabbing Dave's arm to stall his sudden movements.

"No!" Ari begged, worriedly looking between Dave and her father. "Papa, do something!" she ordered.

"Sit down, David," Gio ordered softly, nodding to the kitchen chair. "You and I will discuss this as men. The rest of you," he said, looking over the women, "clear out of here for a while."

"There's nothing you can say that I'll accept regarding this decision," Dave replied harshly, tightening his grip on JJ's hand when she would have followed his sisters from the room.

"Then you won't mind giving the man that helped create you fifteen minutes, will you?" Gio responded with a raised brow, his tone even but firm. Meeting JJ's worried eyes, he added, kindly, "Please, Jennifer, give my son and I a few moments alone, would you?"

"Dave," JJ urged, squeezing his fingers, "He's your father," she reminded him softly. "You should hear him out," she whispered.

"Listen to your woman, Davey," Gio pressed, nodding supportively. "She is the smartest you've brought home by far."

"Thank you," JJ said with a tight smile at the eldest Rossi. Seeing the smooth inclination of his snowy head, JJ's heart softened. Dave was so much like the older man. Proud. Arrogant. And smart. She couldn't bear the thought of strife between them. "Please, Dave. For me? Do this and I promise to consider moving up our wedding date," she bargained when she saw his face tighten obstinately.

"Sounds like a rather good deal she offers," Gio mused, his eyes twinkling as he watched his son's internal struggle. But the woman held the trump card, and all three of them knew it. The victory was his the moment she made the offer.

Eyes burning, Dave turned toward his father. "For her, I'll listen. Fifteen minutes, you said?" Dave asked sarcastically, arching his brow in direct imitation of the older man's.

"Alone, Davey," Gio growled, tilting his head to the side. "No offense, Jennifer. But some of what I have to say to my son might not be fit for mixed company."

"That works both ways, Pop," Dave returned evenly.

"I understand," JJ said with a polite nod to the elder Rossi. Pausing in front of Dave, she grabbed his chin firmly between her fingers and directed his eyes toward her. "Be nice," she ordered sternly. "Regardless of anything else, he IS your father whom you LOVE," she stressed, her voice pleading with him.

"I'll do my best to remember that, Bella," Dave mumbled, dropping his gaze to her upturned face, the circumstances doing nothing to lessen the awe he felt in the face of her love.

"See that you do," she replied, lifting on her toes to press a brief kiss to his lips. "I love you," she whispered before quickly making her way out of the kitchen.

Watching as his future daughter-in-law departed, Gio nodded in satisfaction. "That one fits you," he said approvingly, easing down into the chair at the head of the table.

"The only reason you like her is that she took your side," Dave grumbled, turning away from his father and reaching for the coffeepot, his fingers gripping the handle tightly. "If she knew the whole story..."

"I like her because she doesn't tolerate your holier than thou crap, Davey," Gio snapped, cutting his son off at the pass. "It's a trait that she and I share."

"I don't consider being honest to be holier than thou, Pop," Dave snorted, glaring over his shoulder at his seated father. "You want?" he asked, holding the coffeepot aloft.

"Pour me a cup," Gio nodded, resting his elbows against the wooden table. "And add a shot of the medicine beneath the sink to it," he said, nodding toward the painted cabinet door.

"You know that Luce and Ari will kill you if they find this bottle," Dave smirked, fishing the bottle of Jack Daniels from the back of the cabinet, noting that his father had obviously hidden quite a stash in that darkened corner.

"Then I'd suggest you keep your mouth shut unless you want to visit me at my wake," Gio growled, gesturing for Davey to continue pouring the liquor into his mug. "I also suggest that you add a shot of that to your own mug. You and I, son...we have some things to get straight between us. And you might want to steady yourself before we do," he proclaimed ominously.


	37. Chapter 37

**Author's Note: First of all, we have exciting news, my friends! Nominating ballots for "The Profiler's Choice Awards" are ready and waiting for you at the "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum. So please, everyone, come on over and name some of your favorite fics and authors. Lets honor our favorite stories and authors on the CM site! We want to hear from you. Rules and guidelines are also available at the forum and as always, tonnie2001969 and I would be delighted to answer any questions that you may have. Now, let's get nominating! Our first ballots are beginning to trickle in and we love hearing from each of you! **

**For anyone willing to help us advertise the awards, we've created a short author's note template available on both my profile page (ilovetvalot) and my co-author's (tonnie2001969). We'd love to have everybody's help making this venture a huge and fun success. Please feel free to copy and paste it into your own author's notes and/or profiles! With your help, I believe this can become an annual event that we ALL look forward to seeing. I hope that you're all as eager as I am to see this incredible project lift off. And a very **_**BIG**_** thanks to all the authors helping us advertise these awards! We truly appreciate any assistance you can provide.**

**We also have several new interviews for you at the forum with the incredibly talented **_**lazywriter123, TML, and Wraith Ink-Slinger**_**. Please join us as we get to know them.**

**Finally, we've added a few new discussion threads for our reader's pleasure. The First is called, **_**"The BAU Bullpen is Open for Business"**_**. It introduces a podcast run by a couple of our fellow authors, **_**BonesBird**_** and **_**clarebones**_**. Please check it out! And lastly, we have our newest **_**Fortune Cookie Friday**_** prompt available. I hope you all will check these exciting threads out. **

**And don't forget to get out there and nominate your favorite authors and stories. We're excited to hear from you!**

* * *

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Not Looking**

**Chapter Thirty-Seven**

"Don't be cryptic, Pops," Dave retorted, dropping the glass in front of his father as he settled uneasily in the seat across the table. "Just go ahead and say whatever it is you have to say. You've never hesitated in doing so before."

"As is my prerogative as your father," Gio responded evenly, taking a healthy sip of the medicated coffee. Arching one brow as he stared at his son, he added, "Seems that you've been free with voicing your displeasure, my son. I don't deserve the right of rebuttal?"

"You've been watching one too many episodes of Matlock," Dave grumbled as he drew in a deep sip from the stoneware mug.

Shrugging his shoulders in easy defiance, the elder Rossi replied, "'Tis Law and Order, son. Sam Waterston replaced Andy Griffith many moons ago. Doesn't matter, though. I need all the training I can get to deal with my children. My children that, I might add, are apparently of the opinion that I'm beyond living and should be put out to pasture."

Narrowing his eyes at his father, Dave pointed his finger across the table as he declared, "We never said that, Pops. All we said was…"

"Was that I'm obviously incapable of deciding what to eat or drink, what to spend my money on, who to spend my spare time with, and how to live my life," Gio answered for him, dropping his mug back to the table with a clatter.

"Tell me that you aren't ashamed of what you've been doing," Dave muttered around his cup, choosing to ignore the beginning of his father's statement and focus on the ending. "Of who you've been doing it with."

"What was that, David?" Gio asked imperiously, pulling his shoulders back to his full height. "Blame my faulty hearing, but I believe you might have just tried to pass judgment on your father, and I KNOW your mother wouldn't have stood for that."

"My mother wouldn't have tolerated a LOT of things currently transpiring beneath her roof. And I'm not talking about me sharing a bed last night with the woman I'm going to marry, Pop."

"Your MOTHER, God rest her soul," Gio began, making the sign of the cross quickly against his chest, his memories of his beloved cara causing his eyes to dim for a moment, "wouldn't have wanted me to wither away waiting for death," he snapped.

"She might have if she knew who you'd find to warm her bed," Dave spat angrily, his own mug crashing to the table, the reverberations bouncing the sturdy wood. "She despised that woman."

Gio's hand moved swiftly, connecting with the back of his son's head in a hard slap. "Basta! You'll speak respectfully or you won't be speaking at all to me," Gio bit out.

"Suits me fine!" Dave growled, abruptly pushing away from the table, the legs of his chair scraping the polished floor with an angry whine.

"I never took my son for a hypocrite though," Gio said evenly as he watched his son turn toward the door. "I thought more of you than this and I know that your mother and I raised you better than that."

"Excuse me?" Dave asked, turning sharply to glare at his father across the distance of the kitchen.

"How many of those wives and girlfriends did you have that broke your mother's heart?" Gio asked heavily, knowing his son's weaknesses. "How many times did she beg you to settle down with a good woman with a pure heart?"

Jaw flexing as he attempted to hold in his steadily rising ire, Dave growled, "I don't think I take your meaning, Pop."

"Yes, you do," Gio said wisely, leaning back in his chair as he stared at his only son. When there was no response, he continued. "She asked you not to marry wife number two, as I recall. Begged you for hours to see reason, didn't she?" Gio asked, twisting the knife. "And what did you say to her?"

"You know what I said," Dave said, suddenly casting his eyes down in shame, his memories of those moments with his wonderful mother not some of his most favorable memories.

"I do. But, I think you need to say the words aloud," Gio replied patiently, pressing his palm flat against the table as he waited.

"I told her the heart wanted what the heart wanted and that mine wanted hers," Dave mumbled, barely resisting the urge to scoff his shoe along the floor as he'd done as a child when he'd been on the receiving end of one of his father's lessons.

"I remember," Gio said quietly. "And Davey, my heart wants Ethyl...for however long I have left. Do I love her like your mother?" he asked, gentling his voice as the words turned to a sigh. "Of course not," he shook his head. "Do I care for her deeply?" he asked, toying with the arm of his mug, his tone filled with a wonderment he couldn't describe, "I do. Do I expect my children to see her as a replacement in their hearts and minds?"

"You'd better hope not," Dave grumbled, his head jerking up to face his father.

"I don't, son. But I do expect you all to respect whatever decision that I choose to make on the subject. None of you have to love her. You don't even have to like her. But you will respect the decisions that I make underneath my own roof. Or you can leave."

"You'd choose her over your children?" Dave asked bitterly, his words clipped in a mixture of disbelief and anger.

"Never," Gio whispered. "But, my children are grown. And yet, I still breathe. Here, in this house, alone. I want to share what years I have left with someone, Davey. Is that a crime? Can't you at least try to afford your old man some happiness in the twilight of his life?"

Well, hell, Dave thought unhappily, his mind shifting once again as he processed those words. How the hell could he argue with that kind of logic? Maybe Ethyl's influence was rubbing off on his father. He'd certainly made guilt into an art form. "Pop," Dave began tiredly, taking a step back toward the table.

"What?" Gio asked, his question a challenge of sorts.

"Look," Dave said grudgingly, sinking his hands into his pockets as his shoulders slumped. "The only thing I'll agree to do is break bread with her. But, so help me God, one crack about Mama and..."

"Do you honestly think I'd tolerate anyone disrespecting your mother's memory, Davey?" Gio asked huskily, his eyes wounded.

Swallowing guiltily, Rossi shook his head. "I guess not, Pop. But I can't lie and say, "Mazel tov!"."

"No one asked you to, Davey," Gio denied, raising one gnarled hand in disagreement "Just try for your old man, okay?"

"I'll try, Pop. But, no guarantees," Dave said, relaxing marginally as he caught sight of a blonde head peeking around the doorframe.

"Well?" JJ hedged, looking between the two men, Dave's sister's pressed closely to her back and listening intently.

"I guess Pop has one more for dinner," Dave said, grudgingly accepting his fate. "He's apparently become a couple now."


	38. Chapter 38

**Author's Note: We've got several notes for you today, guys, so hang with us for a second. **

_**First of all, we'd like to talk to you about our next challenge! **__**Wanna fun way to celebrate Halloween this year? Join us for our Round 5 Challenge – The Candy Land Adventure on Chit Chat on Author's Corner. Our challenges are open to any author, regardless of experience…and we have a spot ready for you. All you have to do is suggest a CM pairing and the name of a popular candy. We'll take all the suggestions, present them to the Great Pumpkin, then assign you a pairing & candy type at the first of October. You'll have a month to write your story, and it can be whatever you choose…drabble or epic, romance or friendship. And it does not have to be about Halloween or candy! For more information and to sign up, visit our forum, Chit Chat on Author's Corner, and click on Round 5 challenge!**_

**Second of all, we have exciting news, my friends! Nominating ballots for "The Profiler's Choice Awards" are ready and waiting for you at the "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum. So please, everyone, come on over and name some of your favorite fics and authors. Lets honor our favorite stories and authors on the CM site! We want to hear from you. Rules and guidelines are also available at the forum and as always, tonnie2001969 and I would be delighted to answer any questions that you may have. Now, let's get nominating! Our first ballots are beginning to trickle in and we love hearing from each of you! **

**For anyone willing to help us advertise the awards, we've created a short author's note template available on both my profile page (ilovetvalot) and my co-author's (tonnie2001969). We'd love to have everybody's help making this venture a huge and fun success. Please feel free to copy and paste it into your own author's notes and/or profiles! With your help, I believe this can become an annual event that we ALL look forward to seeing. I hope that you're all as eager as I am to see this incredible project lift off. And a very **_**BIG**_** thanks to all the authors helping us advertise these awards! We truly appreciate any assistance you can provide.**

**Additionally, we have a wonderful new interview for you at the forum as well. Come, as we get to know the talented cm4ever this week.**

**Also, we wanted to take a second to thank everyone that continues to read, review, favorite and alert our stories. Writing is a pleasure, but you guys, you make it worthwhile!**

**And please, fellow authors and readers, don't forget to get out there and nominate your favorite authors and stories. We're excited to hear from you!**

* * *

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Not Looking**

**Chapter Thirty-Eight**

And a mere eight hours later, David Rossi had to grudgingly admit that apparently his father was much happier as part of a couple than being single. It was obvious to anyone who looked at the older man and woman that they truly enjoyed one another's company. And if Dave was being honest with himself, he could admit that he hadn't seen his father that happy in years. Ever since his sainted mother passed away, God rest her soul.

Glancing around the heavily laden family table, Dave couldn't help but wonder exactly how his family had reached this point. His father was off on a new adventure that had taken them all by surprise. His sisters were obviously going to drive each other and the rest of the family up the wall if something wasn't done soon. And in the middle of all of the hoopla sat the most amazing woman in the world…the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.

That is, if she'd still have him. After meeting his family, he half feared that Jennifer would run screaming out the front door at any given moment. It would be just his luck to find the right woman only to lose her due to relatives he couldn't help having.

Why, oh why, did he agree to bring her home? Why?

Letting out a deep sigh as he watched his father happily fill Ethyl's wine glass to the brim once again, Dave reached for his own glass, fully intending to take a healthy swig. If the looks that his older sister was throwing his direction were any indication, he knew he was going to need the alcoholic fortification. It was obvious that Luce was completely unhappy with the entire convoluted situation…although he'd be damned if he knew what to do about it.

But before he could take the first sip, he heard the tell-tale pinging of silver against crystal. Looking up, Dave caught his father's eyes as the older Rossi declared, holding up his own glass, "Let me make a toast, mi famiglia."

"Oh dear," JJ said faintly, clasping Dave's hand tightly under the table and squeezing as she watched Luce's lips tighten and her fingers grip her stemmed goblet with a ferocity bound to shatter the delicate glass.

"Looking around this table, I see the faces of my children...and my daughter to be," Gio said jovially, tipping his glass toward JJ and smiling at her with twinkling eyes, "and I'm filled with unspeakable joy..."

"And yet, he's still talking," Luce muttered, leaning toward her sister, the crystal stem of her glass biting deeper into her fingertips with each passing second.

"...and I can only hope that one day you again, Luce, will find the happiness that your sister shares with her husband, that our David has with his beautiful Jennifer and that I have found again after all these long years," he intoned, dropping his hand to Ethyl's age-stooped rounded shoulder, "with the wonderful woman beside me."

"Oh, Gio," Ethyl said, sniffling as she pressed a hand to her ruffle-covered chest, "you melt my heart."

"Are you sure that's not your pacemaker going on the fritz?" Luce asked hopefully, her lips stretching widely in a strange imitation of a smile.

"Oy! You're children, Gio!" Ethyl declared with a tight smile toward Luce. "Such senses of humor...they must have gotten that from your departed wife."

"Oh, God," JJ whimpered breathlessly as she watched Luce's eyes narrow on the elderly woman dangerously.

"Luce," Dave warned, leaning forward to grab his sister's hand across the table. "Happy thoughts, sis," he murmured, squeezing her hand.

"Happy, happy thoughts," Ari echoed, turning to look worriedly across the table at JJ.

"Oh, I'm happy," Luce grumbled under her breath. "Happily recalling what Mama would have done in a situation like this."

Ignoring the rumblings of his children, Gio turned devoted eyes toward his current amore. "And all that said," Gio continued, his deep baritone voice resonating in the high-ceilinged room, "I'd like to tell you all, children of my heart and body, that Ethyl and I have decided to take the next step in our evolving relationship."

Three sets of startled eyes snapped to their father as his happy voice continued, each face more horrified than the last.

"We've decided to move in together," Gio announced, his smile widening astronomically as Ethyl laced her fingers with his.

"Sweet Jesus, Joseph and Mary," Ari whispered, scandalized.

"Move in together?" Dave echoed incredulously. "Did he just say 'move in together', Babe?" he asked JJ with widened eyes.

"And now, if I had any doubt in my mind before, I KNOW Mama is rolling in her grave," Luce shouted, slamming her hands to the table and rattling the wine glasses, assorted plates, and the vase of flowers in the middle. Jumping to her feet, Luce faced her father. "You're going to live in SIN, Papa? You're going to do the very thing you forbade each of us," she said, sweeping a hand toward her other two siblings, "to do?"

"Lucia," Gio said gently, his eyes softening on his eldest child, the daughter that had been closest to her late mother, "Child, just listen."

"No!" Luce replied on a hiss, narrowing her eyes on her beloved father. "No more listening," she said, shaking her head vigorously. Looking at her only brother and sister, she shook her head, "I say we have the elder Rossi declared incompetent. He's OBVIOUSLY not of sound mind anymore," she proclaimed with a scathing glare at her father and his lady love. "This woman," she spat, her eyes flashing at Ethyl, "has stolen what little he had left of his mind!"

"That's enough!" Gio roared, slamming his glass down to the cloth-covered table as he glared at his oldest child. "To disrespect me in my home is bad enough, but..."

"You're forgetting this house was ALSO our sainted mother's home, Papa," Ari said, rising to stand beside her sister in a show of solidarity. "I'd say that Luce hasn't been the only person here to show disrespect this day. To even suggest the notion of living here in sin with another woman...in the home our mother made for you...it's an insult!"

"I'm sorry you both feel that way," Gio said, breathing heavily as he raised his chin defiantly, refusing to move an inch.

"Girls," Ethyl said, rising from her own chair and lightly touching Gio's arm, "I'm certainly not trying to replace your mother..."

"Lady, that wasn't ever a possibility," Dave said in a low voice from his seated position beside JJ, her fingers tightly clenching around his.

"...but I'm sure in time you'll get used to the changes I'll bring to the house."

"Changes?" Luce shrieked, her eyes widening.

And closing her eyes, JJ, never a particularly religious type of woman, began to pray...hard and fast, that the carnage would stay at a minimum.


	39. Chapter 39

**Author's Note: As you all know by now, we are in full swing on the Profiler's Choice Awards hosted on "Chit Chat on Author's Corner". _And we'd like to offer an extra incentive to get those nominations rolling in. For the next five people to complete the nomination ballot in its entirety, I would be happy to write a oneshot of your pairing preference (hetero, slash or femslash, doesn't matter!). _We have an abundance of incredible stories and authors to choose from this year and we have already received many wonderful nominations. Just to refresh your memory though, tonnie2001969 and myself (ilovetvalot) have removed ourselves from eligibility in the interest of avoiding all appearances of self-promotion. But, we want to make this an incredible experience for each one of you and give you a well-rounded final voting selection to choose from. So let's all put on our reading caps and pick our favorites! **

**Also, don't forget to sign up for our newest challenge at the forum. We're honoring Halloween with our first ever "Candy Land Challenge" and signups run through September 30th! Details are at the forum!**

**We also want to invite you to take a look at our new discussion threat at the forum, "The Ever Controversial Original Character" and a riveting new interview with the very talented forensicwhiz94! Stop by and get to know her!**

**As always, guys, Happy Reading!**

* * *

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Not Looking**

**Chapter Thirty-Nine**

"Now children," Ethyl said in a breathy, chiding tone, her face pinching, "Surely you realize that your father deserves to experience new and exciting things, don't you?"

"Then take him to Coney Island and ride the roller coasters," Luce snapped back, her cheeks flushing as her blood pressure continued to rise rapidly.

Nodding with a jerk of her head, Ari added, her voice taut, "Or better yet, take a seniors' cruise." She added, under her breath, "And try not to fall overboard."

"And we may very well do all those things," Gio said with a deep chuckle, reaching out to pat Ethyl's shoulder, smiling down happily at her. "But I've given Ethyl free reign to make the house her home."

"But it's our home!" bellowed all three Rossi children in unison, their identical dark eyes flashing in tandem as they stared at the white-haired woman that was daring to usurp their mother's position. At the sudden roar, JJ jumped slightly, only to feel Dave's hand rest solidly against her shoulder again.

Holding up both hands, Gio stalled further comments as he said, knowingly, "Now, bambinos, none of you have called these walls your home for many years now. Each of you has you has your own hearth and house, yes?"

Narrowing her eyes, Luce's eyes sparkled with unshed tears as she whispered, "True, Papa. But I seem to remember both you AND mama assuring each one of us that we'd always have a home HERE, too. But suddenly," she said, focusing her glare on Ethyl, shoulders stiffening, "I'm sensing everything has changed."

"And not for the better," Ari said, supporting her sister, her frown an exact duplicate of her sibling's.

"And, you?" Gio said heavily, turning toward his son. "Do you have anything to say?"

"Yeah," Dave nodded, his jaw clenching visibly, "I guess I do since you asked. I take back my earlier sentiment," Dave continued softly as all eyes turned toward him. "Mama isn't just turning in her grave. She's writhing in it."

Looking around the table at Gio's unhappy offspring's faces, Ethyl shook her head in condemnation. "The disrespect they show you, Gio...in your own home. It's terrible."

"How dare you?" Luce all but screeched, her tapered fingers clenching the edge of the table tightly as she barely resisted the urge to hurl her mother's precious china.

"Lower your voice, Lucia," Gio demanded sternly, "Why your mother would..."

"Don't you dare!" Lucia exploded, pointing an accusing hand toward her father. "Don't you dare use my mother against me now...not after informing us of what YOU intend to do!"

"She's right," Ari agreed in solidarity, her words echoing the sentiment. "I don't think you have the right any longer to wave what Mama would do underneath our noses when you yourself don't seem to care any longer for how our departed mother would view things."

"Davey?" Gio queried raggedly, turning rheumy eyes toward his son.

"I'm sorry, Papa," Dave shook his head. "I know we talked earlier. But what you said then and what's happening now is diabolically different. The girls each have a point. It does seem a bit hypocritical to me. Not to mention the fact that you had to expect each of us would have some pretty considerable reactions to your little revelation. You don't spring news like this on your kids and expect them to just hop on board!"

"Might I remind each of you that this is your father's life as well as his home," Ethyl stated, frowning at each one of them.

"Maybe you need to check the deed, lady," Dave hissed in the older woman's direction as JJ grabbed his arm.

Eyes widening, Ethyl's heavily rouged cheeks paled under Dave's scrutiny. "What? You'd put your father out of his home? You're that callous?"

"No," Dave returned slowly, meeting his father's eyes for a bare moment before turning his glare back on the interloper. "But I have no problem with the idea of tossing you out of my mother's dining room," he informed her pleasantly.

"David, enough!" Gio ordered.

"Dave," JJ urged worriedly, tugging at his stiff arm, "don't say something you might regret," she warned quietly.

"He doesn't have to," Luce said through barely moving lips, "I will." Looking at her father coldly, she ground out. "You have a choice to make, Papa. I won't be a part of this," she said, gesturing toward Ethyl. "If you let this woman come into this home and change everything my mother worked so hard for...I no longer have a father."

Eyes dilating at Luce's stiff pronouncement, JJ winced as she watched the eldest Rossi waver unsteadily on his feet, grabbing the table for support.

"Luce," Ari breathed, turning shocked eyes to her sister.

"You don't mean that," Gio said raggedly, shaking his head blindly in disbelief. "Lucia, I created you..."

"With help," Luce rapped out tersely, her lips almost whitening from the strong emotions. "From my mother," she stressed with a searing look at Ethyl who seemed to shrink under her intense gaze. "You know, that woman that spent every day of her life being the most honest and loyal mother and wife any man could ever ask for. Is what you share with this...interloper …more valuable than the child you made together?"

"One has nothing to do with the other, bambina," Gio said gently, taking a step toward his eldest child, reaching for her hand.

Stepping back before her father could make contact, Luce shook her head. "Two words, Father. Curiously enough, you taught them to each of us. Family. Honor."

"Can't we sit down and talk about this like reasonable adults?" Ethyl said, nervously gesturing at the vacated chairs. "I could prepare us a pot of coffee and...

"Stay out of my mother's kitchen," Ari snapped, her normally serene eyes blazing. "You aren't welcome in there!"

"Who told your children that their mother was this paragon of virtue without faults, Gio?" Ethyl asked, finally losing control of her blistering tongue. "You all realize that she could be a shrew when she chose," she hissed, looking around the table as she waved a wrinkled, bejeweled hand in the air. "Tell them, Gio," she demanded, nodding toward her elderly lover.

JJ watched Dave's thunderous face as Ethyl, thankfully, stopped speaking and held her breath. Glancing to the geriatric grandma, JJ shook her head. Evidently, the fine boned woman had lost what was left of her marbles. And she was going to be forced to physically restrain her future husband from committing murder. Whose idea had this little family reunion been anyway?

And seething, Dave slowly lifted his gaze to his father as he demanded, "Yes, Papa. Do tell."

* * *

_**Author's Note 2 - Also guys, please don't forget that if you'd like to advertise the awards on your own profile pages or stories, there's a short blurb on my (ilovetvalot) and Tonnie's (tonnie2001969) profile page for you to copy and paste if you choose! **_

**_And thanks to everyone that continues to read, review, favorite and alert! You guys and gals are awesome!_**


	40. Chapter 40

**Author's Note: Hello, all our fanfic friends! Several announcements today, so, hang on tight!**

**First, our forum, "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" has a new interview up with the fabulously talented klcm. Please stop by and get to know her and several other of the brilliant authors in CM fanfic. And if anyone has an author that they'd like to see interviewed, please shoot me a private message. I promise that we'll do our best to coax them over to talk to us!**

**Second, there are FOUR days left for the October Challenge, "The Candyland Challenge". In the spirit of Halloween, the rules are simple. Name a candy, a pairing you'd like to see written and the pairing you normally write. You'll be assigned a pairing and a candy by October 1st. You will have until Halloween (October 31, 2010) to post a story with your candy prompt and pairing. It does NOT have to be a Halloween story...it just must contain a reference to the candy. For example, if you were assigned a "Goo Goo Bar" as a candy, you could make that the candy an actual BAR in your story. The more creative, the better. Sign-ups are at the forum or you can shoot us a PM (ilovetvalot OR tonnie2001969) if you're interested.**

**Also, please, please, please don't forget to get your nominations in for the first EVER "Profiler's Choice Awards. Nomination ballots and rules are at the forum. Don't forget, I'm (ilovetvalot) still willing to write a oneshot of your pairing choosing to the next five people to complete a ballot. This is a wonderful opportunity to give your favorite stories and authors the recognition that they deserve on ff. net. Also, please remember, in the interest of just saying "no" to self-promotion, ilovetvalot and tonnie2001969 are NOT eligible for nomination.**

**Also, readers & authors, please come sound off on our newest discussion thread. Tell us how you'd feel about the idea of a fanfic based CM Christmas Gift Fic Exchange. We're eagerly soliciting opinions and ideas!**

**So, please, drop by and get a blank ballot and tell the fanfic community who YOUR favorites are! We'd love to have you!**

* * *

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Not Looking**

**Chapter Forty**

His lips pressed tightly together, Giovanni Rossi rumbled, "This is not the time or place to discuss this. I think that…."

But his words were interrupted by a chorus of three younger Rossi voices.. "It's the perfect time," declared all three of his children, their tones filled with mixtures of rage and disbelief.

Her head held regally aloft, Luce added, a deadly pitch to her voice, "If you're going to let that woman disparage our mother in the very home she created, then you'll have to face all of us." Her voice dared the older man to continue as she said, "And if you can say a word against the woman you professed to love, then you're obviously not the man that I thought you were."

Nodding sharply, Dave added, his voice a deep echo of his sister's, "That man would have never spoken an unkind word about the woman that spent her entire life making his life a bed of roses."

His olive-toned face paling at his children's words, Gio clenched his fingers around the top of his chair. "Children, I'm always going to be your father. And I will always love your mother. But she is not here anymore. And she wouldn't want me to live my life devoid of companionship."

"Oh, we've gone far beyond your choice of companions, Papa," Dave growled, canting his eyes toward the grey –haired woman sitting beside his father, her face wrinkled in a mixture of false concern and obvious glee. "Not when that woman just said what she did!"

"I'm certain that Ethyl didn't mean that to sound as harsh as what it did," Gio said, trying to make peace between his current amore and his children.

"I'm equally certain she did," Luce replied icily, glaring at the woman currently sitting in her mother's seat at her mother's table in her mother's house.

"I might have been a little hasty," Ethyl amended weakly, seeing the fury of three sets of equally angry Rossi eyes staring at her, unblinking.

"She insulted our mother," David ground out, his hand clenching around JJ's, his rock in this sea of discontent. Leaning forward, he demanded, "Tell me, Papa...how would you react if she'd insulted your dear departed mama?"

"I understand your anger, David," Gio stated heavily, leaning his hip against the polished edge of the family table, "but, none of you have even tried accepting her into our family."

"Perhaps that is because she is not my family," Luce retorted, slamming down her wine goblet, the force of the impact sloshing the burgundy liquid over the rim. "She is the woman that walked into my mother's home and insulted her not thirty seconds ago."

"And soon, it shall be her home as well," Gio stressed with a tone of finality, enfolding Ethyl's wrinkled hand in his.

"Then I hope you both enjoy it," Ari spat, throwing her napkin on the table as she pushed her chair back, wood scraping loudly against wood. "Because this Rossi will not be visiting again, nor will any of your grandchildren."

"You're not serious," Gio gasped at his youngest, his baby. His shoulder seemed to drop another inch as he realized that his precious bambina was indeed intent on her promise.

"Very serious, Father," Ari said formally, her normally docile eyes flashing fire. "I will not dishonor my mother by accepting a woman into her home that did her very best to make my mother miserable at every available opportunity."

"You're overreacting!" Gio argued, shaking his graying head rapidly, trying to dispel not only the words but the dark emotions clouding the room.

"Really?" Dave said evenly as he stood rapidly, pulling JJ's chair out from the table. "I seem to recall Mama shedding more than one tear because of one rumor or another that originated with this lady. And I use that term loosely." Gently pulling JJ up to stand beside him, he directed, "Pack, Bella. We're leaving."

"Dave, maybe we could all just calm down and..."

"JJ," Dave said softly, staring down into her concerned blue eyes. "Please. I tried. You watched me try. I know when to admit failure."

"Davey, please," Gio pled, gesturing toward his son with a wavering hand. "I've accepted your choice of bride. Your fourth choice in brides," he stressed, arching one bushy brow.

"And that future bride has never posed insult to my mother," he said, nodding to a pinched Ethyl. "Enjoy your future together," he said, following his sisters from the room, JJ moving ahead of them quickly.

"We'll wait for you outside, Dave," Luce said, her voice filled with hurt as she cast one last look toward the dining room.

Nodding, Dave glanced over his shoulder and noted his father's slumped shoulders as he lowered his defeated body back into his chair. Shaking his head, Dave stiffened as Ethyl smiled ever so sweetly at him, her eyes dancing with mischief.

_Laugh while you can, you old bat. While my father might be enamored of you, he isn't a stupid man_, Dave thought grimly. _Don't play the fool long, Pop. I'm not sure how long I can keep Luce from hiring out a hit._

Tightening his fingers around the polished stairwell banister, Dave jogged up the stairs and hurried into his childhood bedroom.

Zipping her suitcase, JJ met Dave's eyes as he walked into the room that they had just shared the night before. "Are you sure you want to leave, Dave?" JJ asked carefully, aware that his temper had been pushed well past its comfortable limits.

"I'm sure," Dave nodded, reaching for his own carry-on. "Are you sure that you're still willing to marry me after tonight?" he asked, his voice barely audible as he braced himself for the desertion that was sure to come.

"Because you're family is slightly insane?" JJ asked, moving toward his tense body and draping her arms around his neck. Scrunching her nose as she stared into his worried eyes, she shrugged. "A little drama makes things interesting."

"A little," Dave snorted, tightening his arms around her waist and holding her close, gratefully breathing in the unique and amazing scent that was wholly his Jennifer. "Would you believe me if I told you things haven't been this exciting since Luce's louse screwed her over?"

"I believe you, Dave," JJ whispered, gently kissing his lips, letting their bodies join for that brief moment, comfort and peace in the midst of the raging battle. "And I believe in you. You're going to figure this out."

"I hope you're right, babe," Dave sighed, dropping his forehead against hers. "I hope you're right."

* * *

_**Author's Note 2 - Also guys, please don't forget that if you'd like to advertise the awards on your own profile pages or stories, there's a short blurb on my (ilovetvalot) and Tonnie's (tonnie2001969) profile page for you to copy and paste if you choose! **_

**_Again, thanks to everyone reading, reviewing, alerting and favoriting this story!_**


	41. Chapter 41

_**Author's Note: Hello, readers! A couple of notes for you today.**_

_**First, please remember to stop by our forum, "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" and grab a nomination ballot for the first EVER Profiler's Choice Awards! You have TWELVE days remaining to nominate your picks and we'd love to hear from each one of you. Come, help us make sure that your favorite stories and authors get the recognition that they deserve.**_

_**Also at the forum, signups for our first ever ff. net based "Criminal Minds Christmas Gift Fic Exchange" are underway! All you need to do is reply to the thread at the forum or send us a PM telling us 1) Which pairings you would feel comfortable writing, 2) the central pairing you'd like to be featured in the story you receive as a Christmas gift, and 3) Name a Christmas carol plus three Christmas-y prompts you'd like to see in the story you receive as a Christmas gift (you'll only have to use three of the four items in the actual fic). Assignments will be given on November 1st and you'll have until DECEMBER 25, 2010 to post your gift. Further details are available at the forum. Please, let's make this a Merry Christmas for ALL!**_

* * *

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Not Looking**

**Chapter Forty-One**

The sun had long set in the western sky when JJ finally felt Dave crawl into their king-sized bed beside her. Glancing over at the bright green numbers flickering on the nightstand, she told herself to be grateful it was just midnight.

She had known that he needed some time to himself, so from the moment they had arrived back at Little Creek, she had wisely left him to his own devices, making only supportive comments when he had announced that he was going to take a long walk in the woods.

That trek had been followed by a marathon session of wood-chopping, which had resulted in the wood pile being extremely well-prepared for winter. All throughout the evening and far beyond darkness had overtaken the sky, she had calmly waited, knowing that he would talk whenever he was ready…and not a moment before.

But now, apparently that moment had finally arrived. Snuggling back against his warm body as she felt him weave his arms around her, she whispered, "You okay?"

Pressing a soft kiss against her silky hair, Dave heard the concern in her voice, and he sighed as he drew her closer. "I owe you an apology, cara. I deserted you tonight, and you didn't deserve that."

Turning in his arms, JJ cupped his whiskered cheek in her hand as she countered, "I'm a big girl, Dave. I knew where you were. I may not be a profiler, but I can read the signs just as well as the next girl." Stroking her fingers against his cheek, she inhaled deeply, her nose tickled by the uniquely woodsy scent mixed with the Ivory soap that lingered from his recent shower. "You want to talk about it?"

"What the hell is there to say?" Dave muttered heavily, sinking back into the down-filled pillows. "My father is getting taken for a ride...desecrating my mother's memory and making enemies of his own children."

"I don't think he's doing it intentionally, honey," JJ whispered softly, turning fully in his arms to slide a hand through the hair on his chest.

"I don't want to begrudge him his happiness, JJ," Dave confided quietly, "But why the hell did he have to find it with the only woman on earth my mother couldn't stand?"

"Sometimes fate is fickle that way," JJ returned tenderly, pressing her hand against his skin, the beating of his heart comforting beneath her palm. "Sometimes we don't have any choice at all about who we fall in love with."

"Ain't that the truth," Dave smirked into the dimly lit room. "You'd have still been running if you'd thought you had a choice in your own destiny, wouldn't you?" he asked, pressing a kiss to her head, letting his lips linger against her forehead.

"You'd have caught me eventually," JJ smiled against his chest, snuggling closer.

"Damn right, I would," Dave agreed smugly, tightening his grip around her as if he feared she might disappear.

"Maybe that's how your father feels," JJ offered faintly. "Like he doesn't have a choice. Maybe he sees something in Ethyl that the rest of you don't."

"Is that how it was for you? You found something to like about me that three ex-wives couldn't see?" Dave teased, ignoring the comments about the woman determined to usurp his mother's memory.

"No," JJ drawled, swatting gently at his chin, "You just clouded my judgment through marathon nights of fabulous sex."

"God, babe," Dave groaned, mental pictures suddenly playing rapidly through his mind, "Could we not discuss sex and my father's love life in the same conversation."

"Sorry," JJ giggled, squealing as his fingers found the tender skin at her rump and twisted playfully. "Stop that!" she laughed, batting at his hand.

"You stop first," Dave replied, capturing her lips for a lingering kiss. Finally lifting his head, Dave stared down into her clear blue eyes. "You sure you're not gonna run when I turn my head, babe? I mean, this wasn't actually the dream introduction to my family that I was hoping for."

"Your family and its so-called insanity is a part of who you are, Dave. But it isn't the only thing that defines you," JJ whispered, stroking his cheek, his whiskers rasping against her fingertips. "And it'll get easier. The girls will come around."

"No, honey," Dave shook his head, sadly but adamantly. "They won't. I've seen them in action before. There's not any forgiveness when that invisible line in the sand is crossed with my sisters."

"I'm going to remember that," JJ mumbled against his chest, shivering as she imagined their combined wrath being focused on her. She'd rather face an unsub that a wronged Rossi….ANY wronged Rossi.

"I'll protect you," Dave grinned, sighing as her trusting body wrapped around his, welcoming her warmth and her passion.

"Maybe you should try to protect your father, too," JJ suggested, pressing tender kisses along his pectoral muscle.

"Some things are just impossible, honey. Even for me," Dave shook his head.

"Did I just hear the great David Rossi admitting defeat?" JJ asked on a gasp, rolling on top of Dave to stare down at him with wide eyes.

"I'm not defeated," Dave denied, easily taking her slight weight. "I choose to look at this as a tactical retreat."

"How is a tactical retreat different from cowering in the corner like a dog with his tail between his legs?" JJ asked, her eyes dancing.

Dropping his hand to her hips, Dave cocked his head as he looked up at her. "I'm not a coward, Jen," he said softly. "But, I don't agree with what dad is doing any more than my sisters do."

"But...," JJ prompted.

"Oh, hell," Dave growled, dropping his head back against the pillow. "Look, I'll try to talk to them. The operative word in that statement being TRY. But, don't look for miracles."

"I want each member of your family at our wedding on the same side of the Church, Dave," JJ explained gently, pressing her nose against his for a moment.

"Are you saying that you refuse to marry me unless I can orchestrate peace in the Rossi family?" Dave asked incredulously.

"No," JJ shook her head. "Nothing could stop me from marrying you, Agent Rossi. I am saying that a quick resolution to this squabble might influence me to marry you a little sooner than I'd originally anticipated though."

"How much sooner?" Dave asked suspiciously, his hands tightening around her hips as he forced his heart to wait patiently.

Lifting her lips in a sultry smile, JJ shrugged. "Depends. How fast can you work?"

"Why the sudden change of heart, Bella?" Dave whispered, watching her face. What the hell had triggered this change?

"Let's just say that seeing you all talk about the great love your mother and father shared convinced me that I don't want to wait any longer than necessary to start our lives together," JJ explained, dropping her lips to his. "So, what do you say, Dave? Are you willing to try and negotiate peace in Commack's East Side?"

"Well, since you made me an offer I can't refuse, I suppose so," Dave grinned, slowly pulling her body down to his.

* * *

_**Author's Note 2 - Also guys, please don't forget that if you'd like to advertise the awards on your own profile pages or stories, there's a short blurb on my (ilovetvalot) and Tonnie's (tonnie2001969) profile page for you to copy and paste if you choose! **_

_**Again, thanks to everyone reading, reviewing, alerting and favoriting this story!**_


	42. Chapter 42

_**Author's Note: Hello, friends. A couple of announcements for you all today.**_

_**We have FIVE days left to nominate our favorite stories and authors for first ever ff. net based Profiler's Choice Awards located at "Chit Chat on Author's Corner". The nomination deadline is October 15, 2010. We have had a great response so far and we still want to hear from you. Rules, deadlines, and the blank ballot are all located at the forum (which can be reached thru a link in both my and tonnie2001969's profile pages).**_

_**We'd also like to announce our first ever ff. net based "Criminal Minds Christmas Gift Fic Exchange"! Sign-ups are simple. Participants can either PM us or join on the forum thread. **__**All you need to do is reply to the thread at the forum or send us a PM telling us 1) Which pairings you would feel comfortable writing, 2) the central pairing you'd like to be featured in the story you receive as a Christmas gift, and 3) Name a Christmas carol plus three Christmas-y prompts you'd like to see in the story you receive as a Christmas gift (you'll only have to use three of the four items in the actual fic). Assignments will be given on November 1st and you'll have until DECEMBER 25, 2010 to post your gift. Further details are available at the forum. Please, let's make this a Merry Christmas for ALL!**_

_**We also have a new discussion thread open for your comments called, "What Do We, the Authors, Owe Our Readers?" Please drop by and leave your thoughts.**_

* * *

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Not Looking**

**Chapter Forty-Two**

Knocking once on the heavy metal door, JJ waited impatiently until she heard the trilling voice from the other side before quickly pushing her way inside, balancing her coffee cup. Blinking as she adjusted to the lowered light inside the small room, she smiled involuntarily as she took in her best friend's outfit du jour.

Needless to say, Penelope Garcia had outdone herself this time. Her yellow and orange jacket was trimmed in sparkles that glittered underneath the glow of the various computer monitors. The polka-dot ribbons adorning her matching dog ears were trimmed in bright fluffy pom poms that bounced as the technical genius flipped around in her chair.

Grinning widely, Garcia raked her eyes up and down her friend as she bounced in her chair. "Oh, it's my little traveling gumdrop returned home to update me on all of the doings at Casa del Rossi! Start dishing, pumpkin. I want details!"

Perching her hip against the edge of Garcia's overflowing desk, JJ shook her head as she said, "How about I promise to get into all of that later? I kinda need a favor right now, Garcie."

Pouting, Garcia twirled a pom pom in her painted fingers as she narrowed her eyes. "What kind of favor? And what offerings do you bring the goddess of technical wizardry for such acts of benevolence?"

"There's a carton of Skittles with your name on it if you can help me find a bit of info. And along the way, I'll tell you all about Dave's family," JJ cajoled, well prepared to meet her friend's demands. "As a matter of fact, the favor is about Dave's family. I need some info on someone who might be trying to tear them apart."

"Oooooh," Garcia said, her mouth forming a perfect O as her eyes widened. "Who we tracking, Buttercup?" she asked, wriggling her fingers over her keyboard. "Some don from the old hood out to wreak mayhem on our motley melee?"

"You've been watching the Godfather again, haven't you?" JJ asked with a patient sigh, wagging a finger at her best friend.

"Only every saga," Garcia chirped, not bothering to deny the assumption. "I don't care what you say, Marlon Brando was HOT back in the day."

"We've discussed this, Garcie. Dave is from a perfectly respectable family. No ties to organized crime...well, unless you count his father's bookie. And I don't."

"Buzzkill," Garcia snorted, rolling her eyes as she mock-glared in JJ's direction. "You can't just let me have my fantasies of an alternate life for our man in black, can you?"

"Not when they involve the Corleone family, no," JJ admonished, biting back a smile at her friend's crestfallen expression.

"You mean there wasn't just one teeny tiny horse's head lying around?" Garcia whimpered, her eyes begging JJ for just one tidbit to perpetrate her already over-active imagination.

"YOU are shameless," JJ said, pointing at the colorful woman as she shook her head.

"I AM desperate, Peaches," Garcia griped, flopping back in her comfortable chair as she reached for a rainbow-hued pencil. "It's been boring without the two of you around here. And tense."

"Tense?" JJ frowned, her shoulders stiffening. "Why? Don't tell me that you and Morgan are in another argument over that Barnes woman, are you? I thought he finally grew a brain and recommended a therapist to her."

"Oh, no," Garcia said, waving a dismissive hand in the air. "That's old news. Last I heard, Tamara Barnes was seeking solace in a nice uniformed office on DCPD. Evidently she's really got a yen for a boy in blue," she shrugged, already having expressed her concern about that particular matter many times in the past. "No, this is all emanating from the Boss Man. And Emily. It's really messing with my mojo, too. All these negative vibes are altering my positive energy," she complained, her head bouncing enthusiastically.

"Yeah, you look like you're suffering," JJ chuckled, not at all sympathetic. "But one thing at a time...what's going on with Hotch and Em?"

"I wish I knew, but as usual our fearless leader in a clam. And my profiling princess...she's just as bad, her lips are sealed tighter than a vault. It's all cold looks and defiantly crossed arms around here," Pen shivered. "Gives me the willies," she muttered under her breath.

"Okay, but there has to be a source of the tension, Garcia. They seemed fine when I left," JJ noted, dragging a chair from the corner to sit beside Penelope.

"All I know is that on Monday they traveled down to Baltimore for some custodial review and evidently Emily had a little trouble with one of the inmates. Needless to say, she handled it. She got a little banged up in the process, but she was okay."

"Oh, God!" JJ's eyes widened, worry for her friend filling her words. "She's really okay though, right?"

"Just a bump on the head; she was more pissed about tearing her sweater," Garcia nodded, her fingers plucking absently at her own jacket as she spoke. "At any rate, based on my sources..."

"You mean Reid, I take it," JJ smirked.

"Based on my source," Garcia stressed, ignoring the interruption, "our captain lost his Kool-aid. He and Emily evidently engaged in a screaming match in front of said source. Scared him so bad, he hid in the Bureau library for a full day. I still don't know everything that got said," Garcia remarked miserably, unable to bear the fact that she might have missed some important detail.

"I'll talk to Reid and get the entire scoop. We can go from there," JJ said, lifting her coffee cup to her lips and taking a slow sip. "And then I'll try to get Emily to go to lunch."

"Would you mind having that handsome hunk you call your future hubby talk to the Boss Man?" Garcia requested, leaning forward. "Seriously, Jayje, it's been like working in the Arctic tundra for days."

"When did Dave and I become the normal folks?" JJ mused with a sigh, shaking her head at the thought.

"When you left us here alone, unsupervised," Garcia grunted. "C'mon, please, Angelfish? I can't work under these conditions."

"Okay, but while I work on your problem, you work on mine. Her name is Ethyl. Ethyl with a Y. Ethyl Weinstein."

"Seriously?" Garcia chuckled, her grin growing wider by the second. "What'd she do? Guilt your man?"

"I'm not sure yet. But dig me up everything you can on her, Garcie. Every dirty detail, 'kay?"

"I'm on it, Peaches," Garcia nodded ,her fingers already flying over the keyboard at supersonic speed. "You just worry about restoring peace and harmony in the valley."

"Yeah," JJ grunted, pushing out of her chair. "That seems to have become my newest hobby."

* * *

_**Author's Note 2 - Also guys, please don't forget that if you'd like to advertise the awards on your own profile pages or stories, there's a short blurb on my (ilovetvalot) and Tonnie's (tonnie2001969) profile page for you to copy and paste if you choose! **_

_**Again, thanks to everyone reading, reviewing, alerting and favoriting this story!**_


	43. Chapter 43

_**Author's Note: Hello fellow readers and authors! A few housekeeping items for the day. First, we are pleased to announce that we are ahead of schedule and the FINAL VOTING BALLOT IS NOW AVAILABLE for the first ever ff. net based 2010 Criminal Minds Profiler's Choice Fanfic Awards at "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum. To vote, you can access the forum through either my (ilovetvalot) or tonnie2001969's profile pages. Details, rules and the voting ballot are available at the forum. We had seventy-nine unique nominators choose 130 of their fellow author's works. So, let's all go grab a ballot and choose the authors we feel deserve those votes. You have until November 30, 2010 to get your ballot entered. Don't forget to send it to the Profiler's Choice CM Awards private message box. Ballots will NOT be accepted at either ilovetvalot or tonnie2001969 inboxes.**_

_**Anyone that chooses to assist us in publicizing the voting process for the 2010 Criminal Minds Profiler's Choice Fanfic Awards can also visit our profile pages. We have a blurb written to copy and paste to either your profile pages or author's notes if you choose. We truly appreciate all the assistance our fellow authors have given us and hope you will continue to support this venture.**_

_**Second, we'd like to encourage you all to take a look at our first ever ff. net based "Criminal Minds Christmas Gift Fic Exchange"! Sign-ups are simple and run through October 31, 2010. Participants can either PM us or join on the forum thread **__**telling us 1) Which pairings you would feel comfortable writing, 2) the central pairing you'd like to be featured in the story you receive as a Christmas gift, and 3) Name a Christmas carol plus three Christmas-y prompts you'd like to see in the story you receive as a Christmas gift (you'll only have to use three of the four items in the actual fic). Assignments will be given on November 1st and you'll have until DECEMBER 25, 2010 to post your gift. Further details are available at the forum. Please, let's make this a Merry Christmas for ALL!**_

_**We also have a new discussion thread open for your comments called, "With Which Character Do You Most Identify and Why?" available at the forum as well as a great new interview with our fellow talented author Starofoberon. Please drop by and leave your thoughts.**_

* * *

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Not Looking**

**Chapter Forty-Three**

Letting out a deep sigh as he watched his fiancée happily leave his office, David Rossi disgustedly leaned back in his chair.

How in the name of all that was holy had he managed to let her wrangle him into playing Cupid to his teammates? Didn't he have a hard-and-fast rule about messing with the romantic lives of others?

His mother had taught him the Golden Rule, after all. Do unto others and all that crap. And as far as he was concerned, he didn't want one damn soul butting into his personal life, so he kept his nose out of everyone else's.

That was, until the woman he loved deemed it necessary for him to do so. And according to the edict he had just been issued, he had a whole whopping hour to perform a reconnaissance mission worthy of the C.I. freaking A. Getting Aaron Hotchner to talk about his personal feelings was going to rank right up there with having a root canal on Christmas day, he just knew it.

But as much as he valued his privacy, he valued JJ more. Far more. And seeing as how he had managed to drag her into the biggest battle royale his family had ever faced, he couldn't deny that he owed it to her to do whatever made her happy. So while she was going to whisk Emily Prentiss off for a girls-only outing, he was tasked with facing the lion in his own den.

Pushing up from his chair, he wondered if he should have brought a whip and a chair.

Stomping down the short hallway that led to his one-time protégée's office, Dave stopped short at the open door way. Leaning his head inside, he caught sight of the dark headed man leaned halfway over his desk. Tapping sharply on the door frame, Dave called out, "You got a minute, Aaron?"

"Not really," Aaron grunted without looking up, his rough voice grave.

"What are you doing?" Dave frowned, watching Hotch's decisive hand slash against the paper.

"Writing Prentiss up for insubordination," Aaron snapped harshly, never looking up from the important papers. "I'm fairly certain that calling me a narcissistic pig of a boss with a God complex in front of the warden of Carlisle Penitentiary qualifies, don't you?"

Wincing, Dave quickly stepped inside and closed Aaron's office door behind him. This was going to be harder than finding peace in the Rossi family if appearances weren't deceiving.

"Didn't I just say that I was busy?" Hotch complained though his eyes remained focused on the sheet of paper beneath his pen.

Reaching out, Dave tugged the pat government form from beneath Hotch's pen. "You don't really want to do that," Dave said, glancing down at the piece of paper. "And you really don't want to call Emily an uncooperative agent that relies on her connections rather than her skills."

"Why the hell not?" Aaron retorted, his dark eyes flashing as he glared at Dave, his fist clenching tighter around his pen.

"First, because it isn't true. Second, because hurt feelings aren't a reason to put a black mark in somebody's file. Especially when the somebody in question is someone you have feelings for...kinda makes pursuing a relationship impossible. Since if you file this," Rossi stated evenly, waving the paper in front of Hotch's nose, "Prentiss is almost certain to put a bullet in your head...or some other part of your vital anatomy."

Exhaling through his nose, Hotch stared angrily at his friend. "I should have known you'd take her side," he rapped out in disgust, throwing his pen down.

"And why is that, Aaron?" Dave asked easily, sliding into one of the visitor's chairs and crossing one leg over the other.

"Simple. Her ass looks great in a skirt," Hotch shrugged, his eyes hardening as he stared at the older man.

"Interesting that you've noted that little fact," Dave drawled, crossing his arms over his chest. "Though I wouldn't mention it too loud. You wouldn't want the comment to be perceived as sexual harassment."

"You'd know, wouldn't you?" Hotch bit out, his tone holding accusation and anger.

"For the record, I don't spend a lot of time looking at Prentiss' ass. I'm quite happy ogling JJ's. You know, the woman I'm going to marry."

"Lucky you," Hotch muttered, picking up his pen again and reaching for the form still in Dave's hand.

"Pull the stick out of your ass, Hotch and tell me what the hell went down to put you at this level of pissed off," Dave returned tersely, jerking the form back and balling it in his hand.

"She almost got herself killed," Aaron snapped, the words clicking out with steel precision. "Tell me, who the hell wears a low red sweater and a short black skirt to interview somebody waiting for a needle in their arm? What the fuck kind of professionalism is that?"

"I don't know," Dave shrugged, leaning against the edge of Hotch's desk. "Maybe somebody that wants their answers quickly. A guy's been known to be more forthcoming when he's talking to a pretty face...and assorted other parts."

"We were in a maximum security prison, damn it!" Hotch argued. "I told her to change. That her attire would be seen as a bid for attention."

"And she said?" Dave asked, knowing before he'd asked the question how a woman as stubborn as Prentiss would react.

"She told me that I didn't get an opinion in her attire. That there were limits to my influence. Then, she nearly got herself killed."

"And it scared the shit out of you," Dave said knowingly, watching closely as the Unit Chief's jaw clenched and muscles shifted.

"Any personal feelings that I may or may not have for Agent Prentiss have no bearing on this. She was out of line. Twice. Once for not listening to my advice...my direct order. And twice, for reaming me out in front of the prison hierarchy."

"And third, for almost costing you the life of someone you care deeply about," Dave pointed it bluntly. "HER."

"Why the hell are you here?" Hotch asked irritably, uncomfortable with how truly close to the mark Dave was hitting.

"Evidently to stop you from doing something infinitely stupid," Dave reasoned, tossing the balled form toward the trash can in the corner.

"I can pull out another one," Hotch grumbled, although his lack of action belied his bravado-filled words.

"You could. But, you won't," Dave declared knowledgably.

"Why not?"

"You aren't a stupid man," Dave shrugged. "And you don't really want to hurt Emily. You want her to realize the repercussions of her actions. Filing grievances isn't the way to do that and a part of you knows it." Glancing at his watch, Dave noted, "Look, it's lunch time. Let's go grab a bite. If you still feel this way when we get back, I'll deliver the damn reprimand to Strauss' desk for you myself."

Measuring Dave with his eyes, Aaron nodded slowly, rising from his chair. "Let's go."


	44. Chapter 44

_**Author's Note: Hello fellow readers and authors!**_

_**FINAL VOTING BALLOT IS NOW AVAILABLE for the first ever ff. net based 2010 Criminal Minds Profiler's Choice Fanfic Awards at "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum. To vote, you can access the forum through either my (ilovetvalot) or tonnie2001969's profile pages. Details, rules and the voting ballot are available at the forum. Please read the rules first…we want your vote to be counted, so please follow the rules!**_

_**Want to help publicize the awards? Check out our profile pages for a blurb you can copy and paste to your profile pages and author's notes. We truly appreciate all the assistance our fellow authors have given us and hope you will continue to support this venture.**_

_**Take a look at our first ever ff. net based "Criminal Minds Christmas Gift Fic Exchange"! Sign-ups are simple and run through October 31, 2010. Check out the details on the forum...sign-ups are simple and run through October 31, 2010. Please, let's make this a Merry Christmas for ALL!**_

_**Looking for a prompt to whet your writing whistle? Our newest Friday Fortune Cookie Prompt is now up at the forum….and this week's suggestion was made by celticstarwolf, so be sure to check it out!**_

_**Ever wondered how other authors and readers feel about their favorite characters on our favorite show? Visit the forum to check out our new discussion thread open for your comments -"With Which Character Do You Most Identify and Why?" And while you're perusing the posts, check out our newest interviews with fellow authors mabelreid, Lizzie2010, HansonFanGermany, and Lawson227!**_

_**Thanks to everyone reading, reviewing, favoriting and alerting our stories! We think you're all awesome! And now…on to our story!**_

* * *

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Not Looking**

**Chapter Forty-Four**

"Show me one place in the FBI manual that says that a woman isn't allowed to do her job just because her over-bearing, pain in the ass boss decides that we're all apparently hindered because we were born with two x chromosomes instead of just one!" Emily Prentiss hissed as she stabbed wildly at the strawberry decorating the top of her fruit salad.

Watching as her friend attempted to massacre the small piece of fruit, JJ bit back as a smile as she answered supportively, "I'm sure that Hotch didn't mean it that way, Em. You know how he gets. He's protective sometimes because he wants to keep the team safe and …"

Emily's eyes narrowed as she asked, voice outraged, "You call what he did protective? I call it being a boorish son of a bit…."

Holding up one hand, JJ hoped to stall what was certain to be a tirade in the middle of the very public restaurant…the very crowded public restaurant. "Trust me, I get the picture. Just tell me what happened to start the entire situation. I'm sure we can find a way to solve this little dilemma between the two of you and get everything back on an even keel."

"Ha!" Emily snorted, reaching for her iced tea. "Little dilemma, she says. Even keel, she says. Honestly, JJ, this is more than just a schoolyard fight that can be solved with milk and cookies. The man honestly doesn't believe that I'm capable of doing my job. And I refuse to work for someone who discounts my contribution to the team. Dammit, he knows me better than that!"

"Em," JJ murmured, smiling tightly at the patrons eating at the next table, their curious looks obvious, "I know you're upset, but..."

"No," Emily shook her head furiously, her raven locks bouncing against her shoulders, "No adding a but. Not this time. He went too far. I'm going to file a complaint...I'm going to shove my boot so far up his ass that..."

"Em!" JJ hissed immediately as their table drew stares from a group several tables away. "Calm down," she urged, her eyes widening as she stared across the small table.

"I'm sorry, JJ. But, I can't. He doubted me...he doubted everything about me. Right down to my choice of clothing." Lips compressing, she growled, the words filled with venom, "I knew he didn't want me out on that review and he pulled out all the stops..."

"Emily, from what I've heard, you came pretty close to being seriously hurt when that inmate grabbed you," JJ pointed out, keeping her voice level as she watched her friend's cheeks flush crimson.

"Him catching me off guard and grabbing me had nothing to do with what clothes I had on at the time," Emily retorted, gripping her fork with enough force to bend the metal. "That was just Hotch's flimsy reasoning."

Clearing her throat as she mentally prepared her response, JJ carefully said, "Red is known to be an inciting color..."

"You're taking his side!" Emily gasped, nearly dropping her fork as her eyes widened in amazement and doubt.

"No," JJ said quickly, shaking her head as she leaned forward. "I think Hotch was out of line with his comments about your wardrobe. You're always incredibly professional. But I also think that he'd just had the crap scared out of you...seeing you get grabbed by a psychopath in the middle of a maximum security prison. Maybe we could cut the guy a little slack," JJ suggested hopefully, nodding supportively.

"The only slack I want is in the noose I wrap around his arrogant neck...right before I tighten it with my bare hands," Emily returned, her cool voice clipped as she reached for her tea, draining half of the glass in one swallow.

JJ had seen her best friend ticked before. She'd seen her angry...she'd even seen her enraged once. But, never, in all the years she'd known Emily Prentiss had she seen the other woman at this level of purely pissed off. And at Hotch, no less.

Whatever Aaron Hotchner had actually done, he was obviously already sentenced and condemned by a one-woman judge and jury.

"You don't mean that," JJ said quietly, staring across the table. "And somewhere inside you, I know that you realize why Hotch reacted the way he did."

"Like an egotistical, overbearing pain in my ass?" Emily queried coldly, her dark eyes narrowing. "Do tell, Jayje," she invited sarcastically.

"Em, he cares for you. And not in a supervisory way either," JJ offered gently, watching as her pal's face tightened and she flashed a look of sheer disbelief.

"Are you kidding me? JJ, the man that reamed me out in front of God and half the guards of Carlisle Penitentiary would categorically disagree with that statement."

"Based on my intel, you gave as good as you got," JJ smirked, her ears still ringing from the blistering account of events she'd received earlier in the day.

"I wasn't just going to sit there and take his crap," Emily grumbled under her breath, her shoulders relaxing a bare inch.

"No, I suppose not...but don't you think calling him a self-serving jackass in front of the warden after he saved your life might have been overkill?" JJ asked, biting the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing.

"Well, I don't know, JJ...have you ever known me to allow any man to question my intelligence publicly before?" Emily asked sarcastically. "I've NEVER heard Aaron Hotchner yell before...but let me tell you, he shook the building."

"Which should tell you something about his state of mind at that moment, shouldn't it?" JJ pointed out softly. "The way I heard it, the man was as white as a ghost and shaking."

Face pinched, Emily met JJ's eyes. "He got to you first, didn't he?" she mumbled, her fingers clenching tightly at the blunt edge of the wooden table.

"No, I haven't spoken to Hotch," JJ shook her head. "I spoke to Reid. And Garcia. Both of which have been holding their breath the last few days, waiting for the Apocalypse to commence."

Bowing her head, Emily inhaled deeply. "Okay," she said, her voice tinged with acceptance, her sigh audible even above the slight buzz of the surrounding patrons. "I could have handled things better. I can admit that. But, he was out of line, JJ. I'm not completely wrong."

"One person is seldom ever entirely right or wrong, but you two are going to have to talk. If not for yourselves, then for the well-being of the team," JJ replied mildly, popping a forkful of salad in her mouth. "And if I'm not mistaken, here comes your chance," she said, gesturing with her fork toward the door.


	45. Chapter 45

**Author's Note: Hello, readers! Just a couple of notes today -**

**Sign-ups for the Criminal Minds Christmas Gift Fic Exchange Challenge end October 31st . Please remember to stop by and sign up at the "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum if interested. We'd love to have each one of you. And remember, we will be taking NO late entries for this challenge.**

**Also, friends, don't forget to vote in "The Criminal Minds Profiler's Choice Awards" headquartered at the forum as well (it can also be reached thru my profile page or tonnie2001969 profile page if you choose). We've had a phenomenal response so far, but we want each one of you to be heard thru your vote. Voting ends on November 30th and details can be found at the forum.**

**New interviews are posted on "Chit Chat" with our very talented co-authors: TheSecretCity, montez, jeffandjimmieschick, and Spark Shark. Check them as well as several of our other nominees out. We'll be adding more as we draw closer to the end of the awards!**

**Thanks to everyone that continues to read, review alert and favorite...we truly appreciate each one of you!**

* * *

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Not Looking**

**Chapter Forty-Five**

Pushing open the door to the small diner, Dave smiled in relief as he realized that at least half of his mission was accomplished. They had finally arrived at their destination. For the past quarter hour, he had began to doubt that would ever happen. Between the delays in getting Hotch out of the office and the slight fender bender they had to scoot around two blocks earlier, he had the distinct feeling that fate, the universe, and Mother Nature were obviously colluding to ruin his fiancée's well laid plans.

And he refused to be held responsible if she did not accomplish her intended purpose. A scorned Jennifer Jareau was NOT on his to-deal-with list. Not in this lifetime, at least.

Although, he told himself, he almost pushed Hotch out of the moving vehicle himself, more than once. For the entire ride, the Unit Chief had varied between childish silence to diatribes about unprofessional agents who overstepped the boundaries of common sense. But it was almost over, Rossi informed himself as he said cheerfully, "Come on, Aaron. Maybe a sandwich and a cup of coffee will do you some good."

"I could have had that at the office, Dave," Hotch responded tersely, his eyes narrowing as he glanced around the crowded dining area.

"But you would have missed the pleasure of my company," Dave replied, rolling his eyes as he took a deep breath. It's illegal to shoot your best friend and a fellow agent, Rossi, he reminded himself sternly as he slid into a nearby booth. Throwing a menu across the table, he ordered, "Find something you like. It's my treat today. In fact, I think exactly what you need is sitting right over there," he said with a knowing look, gesturing toward the red booth in the far corner.

Following Dave's fingers, Hotch inhaled quickly as his eyes narrowed in outrage. "You planned this!" he accused, his voice aggrieved.

"Bet your ass, we did," Dave snorted, grabbing Aaron's arm when he would have turned and stomped out of the diner, filled with outrage. "For you own damned good, you're going to go over there and work this out. And if you won't do it for your own good, then you'll do it for my continued sanity. I'm not going to deal with a pissed off fiancé tonight, Aaron. Not after our trip through familial hell this weekend. Nuh uh," Dave vowed solemnly, his solemn words a promise. One that, if Hotch was as smart as everybody thought he was, he'd take seriously.

"I have nothing to say to Prentiss right now," Hotch said, glowering at Dave as he sat down heavily in the small booth.

"Oh, for Christ sake! What are you? Four? Five?" Dave asked impatiently, rolling his eyes in derision. "Tell the woman you acted like an ass because you care about her and put us all out of her misery," he demanded.

"The only concern I have for Agent Prentiss is as her supervisor," Hotch replied formally, his hard jaw tensing as he sat stiffly on the vinyl bench.

"Oh, bullshit," Dave snorted, rolling his eyes again, beginning to doubt the sanity of the other man. "God, save us all from THAT party line," he begged the Almighty.

"Your theatrics are not appreciated, Rossi," Hotch muttered as he stood up, sidestepping customers as they made their way to the counter. "I'm going back to the office," he stated, turning on his heel.

"You are NOT," Dave ground out as he slid out of the booth, grabbing Hotch's sleeve again. "What you're going to do is stop acting like a child that had his hand smacked and get your ass over there and try and have a reasonable conversation with your colleague," Dave ordered, jerking a thumb toward the table Emily and JJ sat at, still blessedly unaware of their combined presence.

"Dave," Hotch warned as he leaned forward, keeping his voice pitched low, "I'm not sure I can be reasonable yet. You don't know how close she came to being seriously injured. You weren't there. Every time I think of that psycho's hands on her, I..." he trailed off, his lips pressing together.

"Yeah," Dave murmured, crossing his arms over his chest. "This is all just professional concern, Aaron. You've got it bad, my friend," he continued sympathetically.

Shaking his head, Aaron countered, "I'd feel the same way if JJ had taken such a risk."

Suppressing a shudder at the thought of his Jennifer in that kind of danger, Dave shook his head. "Not an image I needed in my head. Thanks, Aaron," Rossi grumbled sarcastically, swallowing hard as he reminded himself that it was just a thought. JJ was perfectly safe…and just a few feet away.

"Well, maybe now you see my point," Hotch retorted, glancing self-consciously toward the ladies' table.

"Regardless, Aaron, your feelings regarding this unfortunate turn of events are affecting the team dynamic," Dave replied sternly. "You and Prentiss need to work it out. And if you finally tell her how you feel in the process, so much the better."

"I don't even know how I feel anymore. And I certainly don't think there's any love lost on her end of the stick either. I don't trust her not to try and stab me with her butter knife."

"Never took you for a coward, Hotch," Dave smirked, his hands dropping in his pockets.

"Not cowardly, Dave. Cautious," Hotch corrected evenly. "You've not seen Prentiss' jacket...the woman is skilled in things you don't wanna know about."

"Among them, killing fellow agents with a butter knife?" Dave chuckled, eyeing his wary friend.

"Wouldn't put it past her," Hotch said under his breath as he turned to face the woman in question.

Reminding himself again that getting into a brawl with his best friend in the middle of a local diner probably wasn't the image the Bureau wanted to cultivate, Dave stared steadily into Hotch's face. "You aren't leaving this joint without at least walking over to that table with me and trying to talk to her."

"Or what?" Hotch grunted. "You'll tattle to my mother?"

"Worse," Dave said with a grim smile. "I'll tattle to our Section Chief," Dave threatened. "Maybe Strauss could provide some couple's therapy for the two of you."

"You wouldn't," Hotch gaped.

"Try me and find out," Dave offered, daring Hotch to test him. He liked the man a hell of a lot. Respected the hell out of him. But if the choice fell between allowing Aaron to backtrack from the restaurant, disappointing the woman he loved and potentially wrecking any shot he had at a relationship with Emily and playing third grade tattle tell, he'd opt for the latter. With relish.

And Aaron Hotchner knew it.


	46. Chapter 46

_**Author's Note: Hello, wonderful readers. I hope everyone in the good ole US of A remembered to adjust their clocks for daylight savings time. (I didn't). At any rate, we have just a few announcements for everyone today.**_

_**First, please remember to try and spare a few moments over the upcoming three weeks and VOTE for your favorite authors and stories in the "Profiler's Choice Awards" at "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum. You have through the end of November 30, 2010 to let your vote be heard and we want to hear from each one of you. If you don't know much about forums, links can be found through either my profile (ilovetvalot) or my awesome co-author (tonnie2001969). Remember, anyone that wants to help advertise the awards has our unending gratitude and there is also a short blurb you can use on our profile pages.**_

_**Second, we also have a new fortune cookie prompt for you at the forum compliments of our "Fortune Cookie Friday post (Sorry, we forgot to advertise it yesterday). And we also have great new interviews with several of our nominees. Today, we are "getting to know" the following: Morivanim, SSA Cuteass, jirrg, mrytale2-5, and SSAEmilyHotchner. More interviews are coming soon!**_

_**Many thanks to everyone still reading these stories. We really appreciate you. Now, on with the show!**_

* * *

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Not Looking**

**Chapter Forty-Six**

"I'll get you back for this," Aaron Hotchner muttered under his breath as he followed Dave through the maze of tables of the busy diner around them.

"Sure you will," Dave said easily as he ignored the other man's obvious implications, lifting his hand and waving at JJ in greeting.

Stepping up to the table, Rossi grinned down at his soon-to-be wife. "Mission accomplished," he murmured against her lips as he bent to kiss her, taking a second longer than politely acceptable to enjoy the moment.

"Not yet," she warned back, returning his kiss, letting her hand rest on his neck. She did have to give credit where it was due, though. When Dave enacted a plan, he didn't waste a lot of valuable time standing around. Evidently her threats of a long, dry, dusty spell hit the intended mark with her beloved if he didn't get his ass in gear. And knowing how well that particular plan of action had worked, she made a mental note to remember that for the future.

Drawing back, Dave grinned at a fuming Emily. "Mind if we join you two lovely ladies?" he asked with a jovial smile at both of them. Ignoring Emily's narrow gaze, he instead concentrated on his lovely future wife. "Imagine finding you here," he added theatrically, wiggling his dark eyebrows as he reached out to pull a cracker from her plate.

Ignoring Dave, Emily glared at JJ. "Can it, Rossi," Emily growled, crossing her arms over her chest. "You set this up," she accused through barely moving lips.

"You bet I did," JJ returned, scooting over and allowing Dave to slide into the seat beside her, snuggling against his warm side. At this rate, the icy blast radiating from Emily's eyes was threatening to freeze her blood solid, and she was willing to take whatever protection she could get. Gesturing across the table, JJ smiled, "Em, wouldn't you like to allow Hotch to sit down?"

"No," Emily snapped, her eyes flashing as she stared at the turncoat across from her, completely ignoring the tall man standing stiffly at the edge of the table.

"I'm good with that," Hotch shrugged, turning to leave, unwillingly halting as Dave grabbed his arm.

"No," Dave stated emphatically, shooting his boss a meaningful look, "You aren't." Honestly, when would these two find a room and just go at it already? Any fool could cut this sexual tension with a butter knife. And if he was going to dwell on such a thing, he'd much rather be thinking about sex in relation to his own beautiful soon-to-be wife, thank you very much.

Mouth twitching uncertainly, Emily looked over her shoulder at Hotch's impassive face. "Do you want to sit down?" she asked, her eyes studying his face for any sign of remorse for his earlier actions.

"He does," JJ nodded vigorously, widening her eyes at Hotch beseechingly. "Wouldn't you?"

Sighing heavily, Aaron sat in the seat Emily vacated as she scooted to the side. JJ never begged for anything, but the look she was giving him virtually pleaded for reason. And while he was not inclined to forget his earlier anger, he was willing to take the extra steps if it would make JJ happy. "Thanks," he offered softly, casting Emily a cautious sidelong glance. He wouldn't put it past her to find a way to make her napkin into a weapon if necessary, and he was well-prepared to deflect the ammunition.

Grabbing JJ's hand underneath the table, Dave squeezed it once. "Well, now," JJ smiled at both of her colleagues, her eyes widening with what she hoped was encouragement, "Isn't this nice?"

"And on that note, we're leaving," Dave said quickly, levering himself out of the booth as he tossed his keys at Aaron and reached for JJ's hand, pulling her behind him.

"What?" Emily and Hotch yelped in unison, watching as both their buffers stood. Where the hell did they think they were going? Hadn't that couple been responsible for this little tete-a-tete to begin with?

"Dave's right," JJ said evenly, nodding her agreement as her fiancé wrapped a supportive arm around her waist. "You're both two incredibly talented, capable people, well versed in the fine art of negotiation. Use those skills and work it out," she demanded, her silent "or else" hanging in the air as she reached for her soft drink, draining the last sip from the ice-filled glass.

And with those parting words, Aaron Hotchner and Emily Prentiss could only stare incredulously as their so-called friends determinedly walked toward the door, pausing to pay the check along the way.

"I cannot believe her," Emily muttered, watching as JJ allowed Dave to guide her out of the restaurant, the glass door tinkling closed behind them.

"Her?" Aaron grunted, his eyes narrowing as he mentally noted the future punishment he intended for his so-called friend. "Dave threatened me with Strauss to get me over here," Hotch admitted, glaring at his friend as Dave paused to cheerfully wave at them from the sidewalk.

Her lips twitched as she envisioned Rossi blackmailing Hotch to force him to the table. "I never took you as the type of man to be easily managed, Hotch," she noted, her lips quirking slightly in spite of her earlier anger.

"You've obviously never seen Rossi in a determined mood," Hotch grumbled, settling back against the vinyl booth. "The bastard would have followed through on his threat just to make a point."

"JJ wasn't any better, believe me," Emily sighed, her fingers relaxing her grip on her napkin. "I'd forgotten how bossy Jennifer Jareau can be when she decides on something."

"They're a match made in..." Hotch began.

"...the pits of a fiery malevolent hell," Emily finished for him, relaxing as she heard Hotch's quiet laughter.

Lapsing into a silence that wasn't nearly as uncomfortable as it had been the previous past few days, Hotch finally murmured, "I guess we should actually talk."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Emily asked warily, her eyes shifting to the tall man still sitting beside her, his presence filling the small space in a way that she suddenly found welcoming.

"I don't think we have much of a choice," Hotch stated ruefully. Raising his hand to a passing waitress, he asked, voice neutral, "Can I get a cup of coffee?"

"Of course, sir. Anything for you, ma'am?" the busy server asked with a polite smile as she righted an empty coffee mug and poured the steaming liquid.

"No," Emily shook her head, turning slightly in the booth. "I'm fine at the moment."

Hotch watched the cheerful woman bob her head and hurry away before turning his head to meet Emily's gaze. "I'll start if that's okay with you."

"Go ahead," Emily invited, bracing herself for more of his wrath regarding the events that had led them here. And since she suddenly found herself trapped on the inside of the booth, she realized that she had no other choice but to allow him to say his peace…and then she was more than willing to annihilate him with a verbal lashing that would make a drill sergeant proud.

Inhaling a deep fortifying breath, Aaron briefly closed his eyes as his mind wrapped itself around the knowledge that he was about to perform his least favorite task in the world.

Apologizing.

"I need to say that I'm sorry for the way I reacted to the events that transpired during our custodial review in Carlisle," he said, his voice containing just the faintest tinge of contrition. "I do think I had some valid concerns," he added quickly, "but, overall, I acted unprofessionally. And I apologize."


	47. Chapter 47

_**Author's Note: Hello, wonderful readers. At any rate, we have just a few announcements for everyone today.**_

_**IMPORTANT: WE HAVE 15 DAYS LEFT TO VOTE! LET'S ALL GET MOTIVATED!**_

_**First, please remember to try and spare a few moments over the upcoming three weeks and VOTE for your favorite authors and stories in the "Profiler's Choice Awards" at "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum. You have through the end of November 30, 2010 to let your vote be heard and we want to hear from each one of you. If you don't know much about forums, links can be found through either my profile (ilovetvalot) or my awesome co-author (tonnie2001969). Remember, anyone that wants to help advertise the awards has our unending gratitude and there is also a short blurb you can use on our profile pages.**_

_**Thank you to everyone taking the time to vote and avertise for us. We appreciate each and every one of you. The responses are starting to roll in and we have a tight race running in several categories. Let your opinion be heard.**_

_**Second, we also have great new interviews with several of our nominees. Today, we are "getting to know" the following: b-mystique, Nagen66, Monkeywand, and Hidge. More interviews are coming soon!**_

_**Many thanks to everyone still reading these stories. We really appreciate you. Now, on with the show!**_

* * *

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Not Looking**

**Chapter Forty-Seven**

Jaw dropping, Emily Prentiss could only gape at the man beside her, a mixture of shock and awe tinged with just the faintest hue of disbelief conspiring to render her utterly speechless…a place she normally did not find herself.

"Emily?" Hotch murmured when her silence went on a heartbeat too long, the only sounds coming from the diner around them. "Say something," he finally demanded when her eyes remained unblinkingly affixed to his face.

"Who are you and what have you done with Aaron Hotchner?" she finally gathered her wits enough to say. She couldn't have heard that right, could she? The stoic, somber, and most of all unapologetic Aaron Hotchner she was currently looking at was not the man she'd known for the last several years. He did NOT freely express contrition. Never.

"I do know how to apologize, Prentiss," Hotch mumbled sheepishly, staring into his filled coffee cup as he waited for her response.

"No, you don't," Emily argued, her forehead wrinkling as she assessed the handsome man beside her. "You think apologizing is a waste of time." Cocking her head, Emily narrowed her eyes on his tense, obviously uncomfortable face. "What's your game, Hotchner?"

"I don't have any game, Emily," Hotch returned heavily, his fingers tightening around the thick mug.

"It doesn't make sense. When I left the office an hour ago, I am absolutely positive that you still insisted that you were entirely, irrevocably right. What the hell did Rossi do to you?"

Compressing his lips, Hotch stared straight ahead, his eyes glued to the top of the seats Rossi and JJ had just vacated. "He might have pointed out a few glaringly obvious truths that I was reluctant to accept. And still am, if truth be told. I still believe you took a horrible risk. That you should have listened to me. But I can admit, in hindsight, that I could have handled the entire situation with more finesse. Some of the accusations I made toward you were unfounded and untrue. I said them in an emotional moment. And, sadly, since I refuse to allow myself very many of those, everything I said came out...wrong."

"I said things I'm not proud of, too," Emily murmured, averting her gaze as she balled her hand into a fist in her lap. "You don't really have a God complex...and last I checked, you didn't really have a post shoved up your ass."

"Thank you," Hotch muttered, wincing at her analysis of him. He'd heard it before, but the words still stung. Mostly, because they had that ring of truth to them…this time.

"Think you'd ever have gotten around to apologizing if Rossi hadn't cornered you?" Emily asked quietly, toying with her glass as she looked around the restaurant. The crowd was dying down, creating a more intimate setting that caused her to speak more freely than she normally would.

"I'd like to tell you yes, but I honestly don't know. I don't handle my authority being questioned in the most gracious manner, I suppose," he sighed, lifting the coffee cup back to his lips and drawing in a sip.

"I wasn't questioning your authority intentionally. At least, not at first," Emily attempted to explain, but feeling Hotch's all-seeing gaze on her face, she faltered. Tilting her head, she admitted, softly, "Okay, maybe I was. But, I honestly thought that I could get those answers more easily doing and wearing exactly what I was."

"Wearing red into a maximum security prison is like waving a red flag in front of a bull. Especially with that unsub. I should have tried to explain myself more thoroughly, but..."

"But, what?" Emily asked quietly, shifting slightly in the booth so that she was sitting at an angle to him.

Swallowing the coffee in his mouth quickly as he felt Emily's thigh brushing his, Hotch struggled to hold on to clear thought. "But, I was...distracted."

"By what?" Emily asked simply, her heart beating a little faster as she watched his body stiffen when she moved against him again, her leg sliding against his innocently.

"By you," Hotch bit out, his fingers tightening around the mug again with enough force to threaten the porcelain's integrity. "Emily, I...we..." he fumbled, searching for the appropriate words to convey his feelings. "There's something there...between us. I'm not entirely certain what it is...but when you put yourself in danger...deliberately or accidently, I react. Usually, I can suppress it. This time, I couldn't. This time you came way to close to getting yourself hurt. And my response to the situation was volatile."

"I thought you doubted my ability," Emily confided softly. "And the thought that you didn't have faith in me..."

"It had nothing to do with the amount of confidence I have in you. Truthfully, you're one of the finest, most competent agents I've ever worked alongside. The visceral reaction I have to you being in dangerous situations is something I have difficulty controlling as you witnessed in Carlisle," he mumbled, looking away again, studying the dirty table to his right.

"Hotch," Emily whispered, guilt edging its way into her heart as she blew out a sigh, "I'm sorry. I honestly had no idea that you might..."

"Care?" Hotch supplied grimly, flicking his eyes toward hers.

"Yes," Emily replied softly, her small hand reaching for his without thought underneath the table. "It's not a crime, you know, to care about someone," she murmured when his features tightened again, the expression well known. "Some people would call it a very human reaction."

"Those people obviously have never met me then," he returned with alacrity as he felt her soft hand slip around his. Sighing heavily as he finally forced himself to look at her, he murmured, "This could become very complicated very quickly, Prentiss."

"News flash, Hotch," Emily snorted, squeezing his strong fingers, "It's already complicated."

"I guess you're right," Hotch conceded with a slight nod, letting his hand rest against his thigh as he slipped his fingers around hers.

"I'm sorry, too, you know. I acted like a child," Emily confessed awkwardly. "I don't usually revert to name calling to get my point across," she said, her cheeks flushing as she remembered some of the insults she'd hurled at him.

"If it helps, I learned a valuable lesson," Hotch said with a faint smile. "You've a very creative and agile tongue."

"I said half of it in Israeli and Russian," Emily chuckled, a smile crossing her lips at the thought. "How would you know?"

"Google is a wonderful thing," Hotch returned evenly, his glittering eyes his only expression of humor. "Did you really tell me that I was a goat's scrotum?"

"It's much more insulting in Russia's native tongue," Emily grinned as she relaxed her shoulders, leaning back against the booth and letting her eyes rest on his. "It just loses something in translation, I think."

Reluctantly laughing, Hotch raised an eyebrow as he squeezed her hand. "There is that."


	48. Chapter 48

**Author's Note: My co-author and I would like to announce that our core stories (Sunday and Monday weekly publications) will be on hiatus for the weekend after Thanksgiving (an American Holiday on November 25, 2010). Due to familial obligations, we do believe there will be a week break on those ongoing stories. We will continue to publish one-shots and shorter stories through the holiday week.**

**Also, we're drawing near the close of our first annual Criminal Minds Profiler's Choice Awards. WE CURRENTLY HAVE ****NINE**** DAYS LEFT TO VOTE FOR OUR FAVORITE AUTHORS AND STORIES. Please remember to try and spare a few moments over the upcoming days and ****VOTE**** for your favorite authors and stories in the "Profiler's Choice Awards" at "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum. You have through the end of November 30, 2010 to let your voice and vote be heard, and we want to hear from each one of you. If you don't know much about forums, links can be found through either my profile (ilovetvalot) or my awesome co-author (tonnie2001969). Remember, anyone that wants to help advertise the awards has our unending gratitude and there is also a short blurb you can use on our profile pages.**

**We also want to take a moment and remind all those participants that have signed up for the Criminal Minds Christmas Fic Gift Exchange that we have just over a month to complete our gifts and publish them for our recipients. If anyone has any questions please contact us via private message.**

**And finally, we'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their continued support of our stories. We truly appreciate each review, favorite, alert and private message. It means a lot to us. Please let us continue to hear from each of you!**

* * *

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Not Looking**

**Chapter Forty-Eight**

"Jen!" David Rossi called as he shut the front door of the cabin behind him, throwing his keys on the entry table and dropping his briefcase by the front door. "I'm home!"

"In the kitchen," JJ called back over her shoulder, shoving the French bread in the oven to warm, her last preparations almost complete for her favorite dinner. And after the month they had had, she firmly believed that they needed this moment of reprieve from life. And after all, she needed the diversion…and banging food around the kitchen filled the job nicely.

Quickly walking down the hallway to the brightly lit kitchen, Dave propped in the doorway and grinned, watching as JJ dusted her hands on the apron wrapped around her narrow waist. "Now, this is a sight I could get used to," he drawled, his eyes twinkling as he smiled.

"I wouldn't," JJ snorted, returning his smile over her shoulder as she rolled her eyes. "This is an anomaly. You're the cook in this tiny family. I had to do something to keep my hands busy though," she shrugged.

Sauntering toward her, Dave laughed. "If that's the case, Bella, I've got several things that could keep you busy," he suggested, slipping his arms around her waist and tugging her against his chest. "For hours and hours and hours," he promised, pressing kisses along the back of her neck, her answering shivers bringing a wide grin to his lips.

"You're impossible," JJ rolled her eyes as chill bumps rose on her skin and she squirmed against him. "Quit that," she ordered halfheartedly as his warm hands slipped down her body to possessively cup her hips. "We're in the kitchen," she hissed as one hand traveled to her apron covered breast and her head fell back against his shoulder.

"Uh huh," Dave rumbled against her soft skin, his fingers continuing to walk her skin. "One of the benefits of not having kids yet...Kitchen sex."

"Not my kitchen," JJ retorted, finally mustering the courage to step out of his embrace and point her wooden spoon at him. "You go stand on the other side of the kitchen," she ordered as she forced her own body to ignore his presence. "Do something productive."

"I thought I was," Dave smirked, shrugging off his suit coat and draping it over one of the dining room table chairs. "And since you're feeling so uncooperative," he said over his shoulder as he walked to the wine rack in the corner, "I don't think I'm gonna spill my guts regarding the dirt I have on certain members of our team this fine afternoon."

"Dirt?" JJ echoed, her ears perking up as she reached for a bowl on the counter.

"Uh huh," Dave nodded, pouring a glass of the Sauvignon Blanc into his wine glass and taking a slow sip. "Dirt," he mocked with a sly smile.

"Spill it, Rossi, or I'm going to find a new use for these," JJ replied, waving her metal salad tongs in the air before dropping them back into the mixed greens.

"Ohhh, kinky," Dave grinned, leaning against the counter and wriggling his eyebrows. "We haven't tried toys yet."

Her glare spoke volumes as she said warningly, "Dave..."

"Okay, okay," Dave laughed, holding up a hand as he watched her eyes narrow, well aware of her warning signs for an impending explosion. "Your plan worked."

"My plan?" JJ inquired, cocking her head as she attempted to decipher his cryptic remarks. "Which one?"

"There's more than one," Dave grimaced, eyeing the woman he'd fallen in love with in horror.

Smiling, JJ only raised an inquiring eyebrow.

"I'm talking about Operation: Get Hotch and Emily to Act Like Grown-Ups," he informed her, still half curious over whatever other nefarious plots she had in place. Perhaps that would be the topic of conversation later on this evening.

"Really?" JJ's eyes widened. "Do tell," she invited, dusting her hands again as she moved the prepared salad to the center of the table.

"Let's just say I think things are gonna be better around the office," Dave shrugged, needling his soon-to-be wife for all he was worth. If there was one thing he'd learned about his future bride, it was that she hated being out of the proverbial loop with a passion. And he was not above exploiting that particular trait if it meant that he could enjoy the moment.

Well, JJ thought huffily, that was certainly vague enough. And he was doing it deliberately. "David Rossi," JJ ground out, "I have spent almost every second since I came home fielding calls from your family. If you have good news, share it," she demanded.

Wincing, Dave nodded. If she'd been dealing with Mari, Luce and the assorted crew, she really was at her wits end. No wonder she'd been trying to keep her hands busy. She'd probably been trying not to pull her hair out. "Sorry, babe. I had no idea."

"I wasn't going to bother you with it," JJ shrugged. "I'm working on that problem, too," she informed him ambiguously.

"We'll get back to that," Dave frowned, staring at her. "But, I was referring to Hotch and Emily. He's taking her out tonight," Dave grinned as he shared his important piece of news.

"What?" JJ gasped, her busy hands stilling suddenly. "Like as in...out on a date...or out to bury her body?"

"The first one," Dave chuckled. "If it was the second, she would be burying him, I think," he theorized. Prentiss could be dangerous when provoked.

"Well, don't stop there," JJ replied, moving toward him with rapid steps. "Give me details," she demanded, reaching for the wine glass in his hand and taking a healthy sip.

"Don't know any," Dave shrugged, wrapping his fingers around hers and pulling his glass back to his lips. "That's it."

"What do you mean, 'That's it'?" JJ yelped, poking his chest as she fought for control of the glass. "That's huge! Where's he taking her?"

"I don't know," Dave grimaced as JJ's finger buried in his chest again.

"David!" JJ growled in exasperation.

"Hell, honey, that's not something guys talk about," Dave stated defensively, racking his brain to recall his conversation with Hotch earlier for some small kernel of information he could give her. Those flashing orbs of hers indicated his imminent destruction if he didn't come up with something fast. "He mentioned something about that new French place in Georgetown. He asked if we'd been there yet."

"Oh! That's a good idea. Emily loves French cuisine," JJ nodded enthusiastically, her eyes lighting up at the new turn of events.

"Looks like your matchmaking skills might have paid off," Dave replied, wrapping his arms around her as she took another sip from his glass.

"Of course they did," JJ retorted, swallowing happily as the warmth of the wine filled her. "Emily and Hotch are meant to be together. Now, as long as he doesn't screw up, we're good to go." Leveling him with a steely determined stare, she continued. "You can't let him screw this up."

"Me?" Dave whined, drawing back a half-step as he suddenly wondered how he had become responsible for the woes of the world at large.

"You," JJ replied evenly.

"Crap," Dave muttered in resignation, consigned to an extension in matchmaking hell.


	49. Chapter 49

_**Author's Note:**_

_**Just a reminder, December 25th is right around the corner. Everyone that signed up for the CM Christmas Fic Exchange, please remember your stories. We want this to be a WONDERFUL gift experience for all involved. If you have any questions, feel free to pm either myself (ilovetvalot) or tonnie2001969.**_

_**In other forum news, please check out our newest discussion thread, "Serious vs. Light - Which gets the most response?" It is a discussion of serious vs light stories and the response they get from readers. We also have new interviews with Clarebones and musicxlife4 up for your reading pleasure.**_

_**Finally, if any of you have any idea for issues/activities that you'd like to see "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum tackle in the form of discussion threads and/or challenges, please let us know. We want to bring you all some really fun threads in the New Year!**_

_**As always, thank you to every reader, reviewer, favoriter, and alerter that enjoys our stories. Hearing from each of you means a great deal. Now, on with our story!**_

* * *

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Not Looking**

**Chapter Forty-Nine**

Walking down the hallway toward Penelope Garcia's office the next morning, JJ felt lighter than she had in weeks.

She was engaged to a wonderfully attentive man that doted on her. One of her best friends was finally making progress toward achieving the same happiness that she herself had attained. AND said friend was doing it with her future husband's best friend. There was almost no way life could be any sweeter.

Almost.

There was, of course, the pesky, nagging matter of Ethyl Wienstien. If there was one cloud in her sunny sky, it was definitely that wicked woman, JJ thought with a sigh.

Both she and Dave had spent half the night on the phone with his less than thrilled sisters. While the usually placid Mari would be quite happy taking out a quiet hit the elderly pain the ass, Luce was much more diabolical. She wanted to do the deed herself. With her sainted Mama's favorite butcher knife. By her mind, it was a fitting end...and only right that Mama should play a hand in things, if only in spirit.

JJ was hopeful that she'd managed to talk both women out of committing murder. For now. How long it lasted was anyone's guess. Honestly, by the sisters' third phone call of the evening, Dave had been ready to plunge the knife in Ethyl's back himself, one attempt at intimacy too many destroyed by her hand, according to him.

Smiling at the memory of his beleaguered face when the phone had rang once more at a critical moment last night, JJ shook her head. According to her future husband, Ethyl wasn't content to just destroy his father's life, she was obviously coming after his, too. His sex life.

And in Dave's world, that crime was definitely punishable by death, JJ thought with a giggle as she reached Penelope's door. Tapping quickly, JJ heard Garcia's bright voice beckoning her forth.

Looking up from her computer monitor as JJ walked, Garcia smiled as she leaned back in her chair. "Oh, good, I was hoping it was you," Garcia nodded enthusiastically.

"You were? Why?" JJ asked, shutting the door behind her as Penelope gestured her inside eagerly.

"Because," Penelope said, twirling in her chair and grabbing her laptop from the shelf beside her desk, "I did that recon work you asked for, Peaches. And, boy, I'm still keveling," Penelope enthused, widening her eyes dramatically.

"Oh, God," JJ groaned, closing her eyes for second as she wondered if she could still escape what was destined to be a difficult moment. "Ethyl, again," she muttered to herself, shaking her head as she resigned herself to a future filled with the small Jewish woman's continuing reign of terror. Sinking into an empty chair on the other side of Garcia's desk, she asked heavily. "How bad is it, Garcie? Scale of one to ten."

"Sorry, Peaches, but I'm gonna have to say about a hundred. The Rossi patriarch has gotten himself in a poisonous pickle," Garcia shuddered, wrinkling her nose unhappily as she tapped her keyboard. "And he need to stage his retreat! Fast!"

"Oh, Jeez," JJ groaned, peering around Garcia's shoulder to see what was on the all-important screen. "Tell me it's something simple like tax evasion," she begged, wondering how in the world she was going to give Dave any more bad news. At this rate, the man she loved was never going to make it to their wedding. It was a toss-up who would end up killing him. Ethyl? His sisters? Or his dad?

"Oh, she's done that, too," Penelope said offhandedly, shrugging her shoulders. "But, Tulip, that's small potatoes compared to some of the crap I found," she mock whispered, wriggling her eyebrows.

"Don't say that," JJ moaned, shaking her head furiously. "I was having such a good morning, Garcie."

"Sorry," Garcia grimaced, "but you really need to see some of the stuff I found, Jayje. Seriously," she said, leveling JJ with a meaningful look as she lowered her voice.

"Am I gonna need something to numb my pain?" JJ asked tiredly, dread filling every part of her as she realized her best friend had that look she only got in the grimmest of situations.

Wordlessly opening her desk drawer, Garcia plucked a bag of Hershey's kisses from the depths and tossed them across the desk toward her friend.

"That bad?" JJ asked, catching the bad midair, already tearing open the plastic edge.

"If it was just a few hours later, I'd advise that we should break into Rossi's secret stash of scotch, Buttercup," Penelope declared gravely. "Unfortunately, it's only nine in the am."

"Okay," JJ said, bracing herself as she watched Garcia flip the monitor around, "Hit me with it." Holding her breath, JJ popped a chocolate in her mouth as she focused her eyes on the screen. Eyes widening, JJ began to choke. Lifting her stunned gaze to Garcia a second later, JJ shook her head dumbly. "Seven times?" she sputtered, trying to swallow in spite of the lump growing rapidly in her throat. "She's been married seven times?"

"Uh huh," Pen nodded slowly. "But the number isn't the most shocking of it," Garcia said quietly, reaching around to open another screen for JJ. "Hang on tight, Sweetpea. It's about to go from just bad to a whole lot worse," she warned, cringing as she watched JJ's face pale.

"I'm assuming you had no idea about any of this, huh?" Garcia murmured sympathetically.

Shaking her head as JJ reached for the mouse, clicking through the various pages and viewing them with horrified eyes. "I knew she was a widow...but I thought...I never...oh God, Dave is going to explode," JJ whispered. "Seven death certificates," she breathed, her mind trying to comprehend the sheer horror of the entire situation.

"Uh huh," Garcia nodded. "JJ, I triple checked. This information is completely accurate. She received death benefits on each husband."

"Garcia, do you have any idea what this means?" JJ asked, her voice shaking as the potential ramifications of this new information flooded her mind.

"I really hope I don't," Penelope shook her head, her lips twisting from side to side as she fidgeted in her seat.

Popping another chocolate between her lips with a shaking hand, JJ chewed slowly, swallowing a moment later. "My future father-in-law is playing house with a serial killer. The ultimate Black Widow."

How the hell was she going to break this to David Rossi?

Better yet, how was she going to do it without killing him?


	50. Chapter 50

_**Author's Note:**_

_**Hold on folks, this is a long note today! First, Tonnie and I would like to announce that signups for Chit Chat on Author's Corner's January Challenge-The Happy New Year's Challenge are open thru December 30, 2010. Simply swing by the forum (you can link to it thru our profile pages) and sign up with the pairing you'd like to see written and three prompts associated with the holiday. On Jan 1, 2011, you'll be assigned a random pairing (not the one you usually write) and three prompts to write by January 30.**_

_**Second, I have a question for my readers. I truly enjoyed last night's CM episode, "What Happens at Home" and the introduction of the character Agent Ashley Seaver. I intend to do some stories with her character incorporated into a pairing and I'd like to know who you guys would like to see me pair her with. I know the obvious choice is Reid, but what about Hotch or Rossi. Anybody that knows my work knows I'm a sucker for older man/younger woman pairings. So, shoot me a pm or review and let me know what you think. I think the world of you guys and value your opinions!**_

_**Just a reminder, December 25th is right around the corner. Everyone that signed up for the CM Christmas Fic Exchange, please remember your stories. We want this to be a WONDERFUL gift experience for all involved. If you have any questions, feel free to pm either myself (ilovetvalot) or tonnie2001969.**_

_**In other forum news, please check out our newest discussion thread, "Serious vs. Light - Which gets the most response?" It is a discussion of serious vs. light stories and the response they get from readers. We also have new interviews with Clarebones and musicxlife4 up for your reading pleasure.**_

_**Also please check out the discussion thread entitled, "The Fine Line Between T and M ratings". There's a great ongoing discussion there, too.**_

_**Finally, if any of you have any idea for issues/activities that you'd like to see "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum tackle in the form of discussion threads and/or challenges, please let us know. We want to bring you all some really fun threads in the New Year!**_

_**As always, thank you to every reader, reviewer, and person that favorites or alerts one of our stories. Hearing from each of you means a great deal to each of us. We truly value your thoughts and opinions. Now, on with our story!**_

* * *

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Not Looking**

**Chapter Fifty**

An hour later, JJ took a deep breath as she stood outside Dave's office. Closing her eyes briefly with her hand on the doorknob, she reminded herself that they didn't keep secrets from each other. Even when they'd thought what they had together was no more than two friends finding solace and comfort in each other's arms, they'd never kept secrets from one another. It had been an unwritten rule that both of them had obeyed unfailingly. She couldn't start now…no matter how much she wanted to pretend that the last hour had never happened...that she'd never learned the information she now had in her possession.

But this was Dave. Dave's family. And her future father-in-law could be in potential danger. Serious, deadly danger. There was no way she could just act as if this had never happened...no way she could allow him to remain unaware of the threat.

Nodding to herself once she had made that final decision, she squared her shoulders as she gripped the file folder tighter in her fingers. Knocking once, she waited until she heard his deep familiar voice invite her inside.

Dave smiled as he glanced up from his desk, his eyes crinkling as he met her eyes. "Bella, I think you ought to know that you don't need permission to come in here anymore. Yours is an open invitation."

"I didn't want to take a chance that you were in a meeting and interrupt," she said, forcing a smile as she closed the door behind her, the click sounding loud in the otherwise silent room.

Rising, Dave rounded his desk in two steps, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her against him. Frowning as she stiffened in his arms, he peered down into her face, trying to read the expression she wore. "What's wrong?" he asked warily when she averted her gaze.

"Dave," JJ began hesitantly, "we need to talk."

"That sounds ominous," Dave commented neutrally, tightening his arms around her as he noted the lip she'd drawn between her teeth, a sure sign of her uncertainty. "Hey," he said, lifting a hand to sooth her lower lip with a fingertip, "Talk to me, babe. I'm starting to get worried over here."

"I..." JJ faltered, searching for words that wouldn't come. "You..."

Truly concerned now, Dave walked JJ backward toward the sofa on the opposite wall. Sitting down, he tugged her into his lap. "Whatever it is, we'll handle it."

"Dave, you aren't going to like what I have to tell you," JJ whispered, her fingers tightening around the file she held as she sat stiffly in his lap.

Fear gnawed at his gut as he watched her face. His mind immediately went to the worst thing she could tell him. "I'm not letting you go. Whatever put this look in your eyes, I'm not letting you go. We're together and we're staying together. We're getting married," Dave declared with soft vehemence, his hand tightening against her hip.

JJ's forehead creased with confusion as she turned to look at him. "Huh?" she grunted in confusion.

"I said, I'm not letting you get away. If you're having second thoughts about the wedding, then..."

Comprehension dawned suddenly in her rattled mind. "Dave," JJ objected as she shook her head, "This isn't about us. Not directly."

"Not about us?" he echoed, his heartbeat slowing slightly as he watched her shake her head again. "You mean you aren't trying to leave me?"

"Of course not," JJ snorted, rolling her eyes as she smacked her hand against his chest. "Why would you think that? We're fine."

"Because," Dave growled, capturing her fingers and bringing them to his lips for a quick kiss, "when you look at me with those eyes and tell me that we need to talk in that somber voice, my mind goes some very fucked up places. Places I don't particularly ever want to imagine us visiting. Damn it, Jen, you just scared the shit out of me!"

"I'm sorry," JJ apologized automatically, touching his cheek. Hell, maybe what she had to tell him might be a relief after the scare she'd apparently just delivered. Judging by the pallor of his face, she'd delivered a hell of an unintentional sucker punch. "Really sorry," she whispered, leaning in to press her lips to his.

"Forgiven," he grumbled against her mouth, quickly attempting to seize control of the kiss.

Shaking her head as she felt her own body start to respond, JJ drew back reluctantly, smiling as Dave groaned. "We still need to talk."

"Bella, if you just interrupted our kiss to complain about Hotch and Emily's relationship again or order me to play Cupid for..."

Pressing her finger to his moving lips, JJ murmured, "It's not about Em and Hotch either. Dave, we have a problem."

"I thought you just said this wasn't about us," Dave replied, furrowing his brows as he settled her against his chest.

"I said it wasn't directly related to our relationship," JJ corrected gently, sliding her hand in slow, soothing circles against his chest.

"Honey, I'm rapidly losing ground in this conversation," Dave sighed, dropping a kiss to the crown of her head. "Who is this indirectly about then?"

Grimacing as she tilted her head to look up at him, JJ answered, "Your family, Dave."

"They're all nuts," Dave shrugged, leaning back against the couch as he shifted her on his lap. "What else is there to know?"

Oh, just the small inconvenient fact that your dad is dating and doing a potential serial killer, JJ's mind screamed. "Dave, I'm not quite sure how to tell you this," JJ murmured.

"Just say it," Dave directed evenly, sliding his fingers through her silky hair. "Where my family's concerned, there isn't much left that can shock me."

"I really wish you hadn't said that," JJ cringed, burying her face against his throat. Oh, why the hell had he had to say that?

"Jen," Dave said, his tone warning her that the end of his patience was hovering on the horizon. What the hell had gotten her so rattled from the morning meeting until now?

"Dave, we agreed I'd have Penelope look into Ethyl, remember?" JJ began reluctantly, the file in her hand growing heavier and heavier with each passing moment.

"Yeah. So?" Dave prodded. "What? Find some skeletons in her closet?" he chuckled.

"Actually?" JJ sighed. "Yes. Seven of them."

Her answer took a moment to register with him. But his reaction when it came was one she wouldn't forget.

Bolting to his feet and dumping his fiancé unceremoniously in the floor, Dave yelled, "What the hell?"


	51. Chapter 51

_**Author's Note: First, I hope you guys enjoy this new story. It will be updated once a week. **_

_**We have a few announcements for year today. First, don't forget we have a new challenge open on the forum, "Chit Chat on Author's Corner". Sign-ups for our January challenge, "The Happy New Year's Challenge" is open through December 30, 2010. We'd love to have each one of you. **__**Simply swing by the forum (you can link to it thru our profile pages) and sign up with the pairing you'd like to see written and three prompts associated with the holiday. On Jan 1, 2011, you'll be assigned a random pairing (not the one you usually write) and three prompts to write by January 30.**_

_**And don't forget - those that signed up to complete the CM Christmas Fic Gift Exchange, you have exactly SIX days left. Please PM me if you have any problems.**_

_**Finally, if any of you have any idea for issues/activities that you'd like to see "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum tackle in the form of discussion threads and/or challenges, please let us know. We want to bring you all some really fun threads in the New Year!**_

_**As always, thank you to every reader, reviewer, and person that favorites or alerts one of our stories. Hearing from each of you means a great deal to each of us. We truly value your thoughts and opinions. Now, on with our story!**_

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**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Not Looking**

**Chapter Fifty-One**

"Oomph," JJ grunted, the air leaving her lungs as her body impacted with the hard linoleum floor. Blinking as Dave lunged over her prone body toward the manila file that had gone flying haphazardly through the air, she fought to make her lungs work again.

"That crazy old bat is a serial killer?" Dave yelled, stepping over JJ to retrieve the file, complete with glossy pictures of the witch's former husbands. "My dad is boinking Lizzie Borden?"

"She didn't use an axe," JJ panted, rolling to her side and coming to her knees, the effort taking more energy than she first realized.

"That makes me feel so much better, Jen," Dave retorted, lifting his eyes from the file to look at her. Frowning as he tilted his head, he asked quizzically, "What the hell are you doing in the floor?"

Rolling her eyes, JJ muttered, climbing back to her feet. "It was as good a place as any to land, I guess." Pointing at the file, she continued, "The best Penelope and I can figure out, Ethyl's using some kind of poison. Her last kill was over twenty years ago."

"That's so much better," Dave growled, glaring down at the printed pages again as his forehead wrinkled. "She's retired, so there's no danger at ALL."

"Dave, nothing has been proven," JJ reminded him as she shook her head. "Garcia got suspicious after she found the fourth death certificate and..."

"It took her FOUR death certificates to realize she had a black widow on her hands?" he shouted, his eyes widening as he stared at her incredulously. "The woman's supposed to be a computer genius, and she about let Grandma Moses fill another cemetery plot?"

"Don't complain," JJ replied pertly, wagging her finger. "If not for Garcia, we'd still be clueless."

Moving back to the sofa, Dave sank down. "JJ, this is..." he stared down blindly at the file.

"Unbelievable?"

"To say the least," Dave breathed, flipping a page. "She had seven husbands. She killed seven husbands."

"We don't know that for sure, Dave. Some of them could have been natural causes," JJ offered weakly, moving back to his side. Wincing at the disbelieving look he shot her, she held up a hand. "Okay, okay. Probably not."

"Jesus," Dave muttered. "It's like she took a trip around the world. Jaques LeBrioche. Jose Gonzales. Hans Leiberman," he recited, his eyes finding the names on each of the death certificates. "I guess she was due an Italian."

"What do we do?" JJ asked simply, ignoring his dark comments. "Have the bodies exhumed?" she asked, peering over his shoulder at the file.

"Not without probable cause and all we have here is circumstantial evidence at best," Dave replied, his jaw tightening. "All these death certificates say is cardiac arrest. Over and over again. Tell me, how did a medical examiner not think it was odd when this guy...this Richard List," Dave read with narrowed eyes, "dropped dead of a heart attack at twenty-six?"

Gnawing on her lower lip as she stared down at the picture of a relatively healthy looking Englishman, JJ shook her head. "I don't know. I never imagined Ethyl being so well traveled. When you see her, she doesn't strike me as a woman to be particularly cultured."

"She's recreated her identity in every marriage...conformed to whatever situation or circumstance she's in. She's a chameleon."

"And a black widow," JJ murmured, resting her chin on Dave's shoulder. "The good news is that her last husband, Noah...it appears that she might actually have loved him," JJ said, pointing to the picture of a short, elderly smiling man with a black yarmulke on his head. "He died of complications from cancer, Dave, at seventy-eight. And they were married the longest. Fifteen years."

"Still doesn't mean she didn't kill the other six," Dave replied, refusing to lose his anger for any reason.

"What do you want to do?" JJ asked softly, studying his handsome profile.

"What I want to do is go to my father's house and toss the crazy old witch out on her ass," Dave grunted. "But if what we suspect is true, we're gonna have to move carefully. Besides, if Dad is willing to risk his children ostracizing him, he's going to take a look at this file and shrug it off. We have to have irrefutable proof. Is Garcia still looking?"

"Under every rock," JJ nodded against his arm. "Dave, do you think Papa is in immediate danger?"

"By the look of these certificates, she remained married to each man a minimum of a year and a half," Dave said, scanning the file, his finger dragging down the pages. "I'd say Dad still has time."

"Do we need to tell the girls? They could be on the lookout for any strange behavior," JJ suggested, then wincing as she remembered the famous Rossi temper that spread to all the siblings.

"That depends on whether you want Ethyl to live to be brought to justice for her crimes," Dave grunted. "Once Luce finds out about this, I can't guarantee that we won't be searching for a Rossi unsub, Jen."

"You make an excellent point," JJ agreed. "But we can't do nothing, Dave. Your father could be at risk," JJ argued.

"I've still got a couple of friends in the department up there that it wouldn't seem strange if they began to drop by and check on things. At least until we figure out our next move. But, the first thing we need to do is consult Aaron...make this a formal BAU inquiry."

"Think he'll go for it?" JJ asked curiously. "I mean, it's not much. Suspicious, yes. Particularly incriminating, though?"

"After everything we went through when Foyet was terrorizing his family? Aaron will do everything he can to help. It may be off the books, but he'll support it," Dave murmured, rising from his seat. "Do me a favor, okay? Stay on top of Garcia. I want to know anything she gets as soon as she gets it."

"Of course I will," JJ agreed readily. "You're going to talk to Hotch now? Want me to come with you?"

"Afraid he'll think I'm nuts, Bella?" Dave said, grinning in spite of himself.

"I don't think that would be particularly unusual. Everyone on the team thinks you're a few bricks shy of a load for ever returning to the BAU in the first place," JJ teased as Dave wrapped his arm around her waist.

"That isn't a decision that I'll ever regret making," he whispered, pressing a kiss to her pliant lips. "Although, I can't necessarily say the same for Ethyl when I'm done with her," he added grimly, closing his office door behind them as he guided her into the hallway.


	52. Chapter 52

**Author's Note:**_** "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum would like to announce that we have opened signups for our first annual "Valentine's Fic Gift Exchange". Signups are thru January 31st and assignments will be made on February 1st for this one. Simply name the pairings you are willing to write, the pairing you would like to receive as a gift, one famous love song and three Valentine's Day prompts.**_

_**Finally, new Fortune Cookie prompts are available at the forum for those of us that need a kick start to our writing muses.**_

_**As ever, thank you for reading, reviewing, favoriting and alerting our stories. We truly appreciate each one of you. And because I haven't said it in a while, we (neither ilovetvalot or tonnie2001969) own Criminal Minds (though we really wish we did).**_

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**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Not Looking**

**Chapter Fifty-Two**

"Are you kidding me?" Aaron Hotchner asked fifteen minutes later, Dave's almost unbelievable story and suspicions still hanging in the air between them.

"Do I sound like I'm joking, Aaron?" Dave asked tightly, pacing the length of Hotch's office.

Choking on his coffee as he watched his long-time friend wear a path on the linoleum, Hotch tried to ignore the hilarity of the situation. But it was hopeless. It was too...present.

"Oh, go ahead and laugh, Chuckles," Dave growled, noting the mirth shining in Aaron's eyes. "Get it out of your system so we can move forward and figure out a way to rescue the Aged Italian Stallion from the clutches of Cruella de Ville."

Rubbing his jaw as he leaned back in his chair, Hotch shook his head helplessly. "I need to get this straight. You're telling me that your elderly father has been ensnared by a geriatric black widow that has buried six former husbands."

"Seven," Dave corrected automatically. "Did you not look at the file I put in front of you?" Dave complained as he threw up his hands. "Damn it, Aaron, this is serious."

Going on as if Dave hadn't spoken, Hotch said, "And, to add insult to injury, the son of the elderly father...an expert world renowned FBI profiler and celebrated author, by the way…didn't notice there was something spooky about his stepmother-to be?" Hotch asked, his voice slightly strangled as he tried to maintain his composure.

Opening his mouth to verbally skewer his obviously amused colleague, Dave was interrupted by a knock on the door. "Great," he muttered, "An audience."

"Come in," Hotch choked, shaking his head as the door opened and Emily Prentiss stepped inside.

"Am I interrupting?" she asked, looking between a chuckling Hotch and a thunderous David Rossi. "Why does Rossi look like he wants to drop a bomb on somebody's head?" she asked, moving to stand in front of Aaron's desk as she looked curiously at Dave.

"Probably because he does," Hotch declared easily.

"You haven't had a fight with JJ, have you?" she asked worriedly, wondering where her blonde co-worker was. Knowing her friend, Emily was well aware of the fact that a scorned JJ was probably currently planning equal retribution against the insufferable man. She only hoped that she could catch a good seat for the possible fireworks.

"No. JJ and I are fine," Dave sighed, waving a hand through the air as he slumped tiredly on Hotch's sofa. "It's worse than that."

"I find that hard to believe," Emily snorted, her concern growing rapidly when Dave's morose eyes closed. "What's going on here, guys?"

"You might as well tell her; I'm going to need everybody's help to sort this mess out," Dave mumbled. Damn, maybe he should have asked JJ to come with him. At least when she was around, he didn't feel as though the veins in his head were in danger of bursting like a leaky sink pipe.

Clearing his throat as he attempted to regain his composure, Aaron met Emily's eyes. "Dave has a small familial problem."

"I can sympathize," Emily smiled, shooting Dave a look of understanding. "You've met the Ambassador before."

"Not exactly the kind of problem Dave has," Hotch drawled, propping his chin in his hand as his eyes fell back to Emily.

Narrowing her gaze on Aaron, Emily asked carefully, "What do you mean?"

"Oh," Hotch stated breezily, arching one dark eyebrow, "just that our star profiler here may have missed the small fact that he has an alleged serial killer ensconced within his family."

"What!" Emily exclaimed, her eyes rounding as she jerked to face Dave. "Seriously? How the hell does the FBI's answer to a rock star miss THAT?"

"You know," Dave began, his voice deceptively conversational, "if this is your idea of friendly support, I seriously need new friends. And, Ethyl is NOT my family, Aaron. She's...she's..."

"Your pop's lady love?" Hotch offered casually.

"Why are we friends again?" Dave snapped, flipping a dark glare toward his so-called best friend.

"Wait! Is this the same Ethyl that's sent your sisters spiraling over the edge?" Emily asked, interested. It was like a car wreck. You didn't really want to see it, but you were helpless to look away. And besides, she needed a break, and it was apparent that all of the entertainment was in this very room.

"Yeah," Dave grunted. "Turns out, they didn't fall over that edge...Ethyl could have very well shoved them. I think she did that to husband number four," Dave said, nodding at the file Hotch now held.

"This is actually intriguing," Hotch murmured, still reading as Emily moved behind his chair to look at the file, too.

"Yeah, that's what it is," Dave sniped, rolling his eyes. "This is my dad, Hotch! It's fucking scary."

"It's also circumstantial," Hotch replied. "There's been no inquiries into any of these deaths. Even by the coroners."

"She's good at what she does. But then, aren't most of the psychos we hunt?" Dave asked heavily, crossing his arms over his chest. "That's not the problem. If she's guilty, we'll get her. The question is, how?"

"Wrong," Aaron shook his head, dropping the file back to his desk with a soft plop. "The real issue is how we're going to get our esteemed Section Chief to sign off on BAU involvement in this alleged case. Neither one of us is exactly Erin Strauss' favorite person, Dave," he noted as he steepled his fingers.

"She won't," Emily snorted, rolling her eyes as she reached for the file, her eyes scanning the first page. "There's no positive PR in this for her. No glory." Each one of them knew that Erin Strauss was nothing if not a publicity whore.

"And we all know that JJ can make anything into a BAU case," Dave retorted as he shrugged. "The question is, do you think we're right, Aaron? Are you seeing the same thing that we did?"

"There's no doubt that this looks suspicious. But without diving in and getting our hands dirty, we're not going to know for sure."

"I have to know, Hotch," Dave countered softly, leaning forward. "Even if I investigate on my own, I have to get to the bottom of this. My dad's life could depend on it."

Meeting the older man's eyes, Hotch nodded. He understood. And more importantly, JJ and Dave had both stood shoulder to shoulder with him during the darkest time in his life. In short, he owed the other man. Aaron Hotchner was a man that always paid his debts in full. "I'm in," he agreed. "How do you want to tackle it?"


	53. Chapter 53

_**Author's Note: **__**Calling all readers! Join us for our Awesome January Awards...to recognize and honor the best fics written for any of the challenges on "**__**Chit Chat**__** on Author's Corner" forum! All you have to do is send the title of your favorite fic (and author who wrote it) that was written for a challenge to either ilovetvalot or tonnie2001969's private message inbox. Stories by ilovetvalot and tonnie2001969 are not eligible for competition. Only one vote per person! For more details and full rules, visit Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum. You don't need to be an author to vote, simply visit the forum and review our challenge threads (stories are already and the threads will be pinned to the top of the page). So, everyone, come on over and lets have some fun. Voting commences now and ends January 31, 2011. Awards will be given for first, second and third place.**_

_**Please don't forget about our forum, "Chit Chat on Author's Corner". Currently, we're taking signups for our great Valentine's Gift Fic Exchange and we'd love to have everyone sign up. The more the merrier. Details are at the forum and you can PM us with any questions!**_

_**Again, thanks for bearing with me, my fanfic friends!**_

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**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Not Looking**

**Chapter Fifty-Three**

"You want us to what?" JJ gaped as she turned to face the man standing framed in the doorway of her office. "Are you serious?"

"Just hear me out, babe," David Rossi begged, raising both his hand in supplication as he took a step closer. "It's not as bad as..."

"You want us to go to New York and get married to trap a serial killer," JJ babbled, hysterical laughter bubbling in her throat as she stared across the room with a kind of horrified interest. The sudden throbbing in the crown of her head surely didn't signify a coming stroke, did it? "You've got to be kidding, Dave," JJ exclaimed, shaking her head. Seeing his features tighten in regret, she whispered, "You aren't kidding me at all, are you?"

"It's the only believable premise Hotch and I can come up with. One that won't tip off Strauss that we're actually pulling double duty on a case that you know she'll never approve. Honey, I wouldn't ask, but..."

"...it's your father," JJ supplied, comprehension dawning as she saw the overwhelming worry in his eyes. "And he could be in danger," she said softly, her features softening as his face paled and he slowly nodded in agreement. Inhaling deeply, JJ watched her fiancé's face carefully. Lines of strain and worry now etched his face and in the space of hours, somehow he now looked older.

"Jen, honey, if you can think of something else...anything else, I'll jump on it. I don't want our wedding marred by this. I know you wanted to wait and that I promised not to push you. I just can't do nothing, and we thought...Hotch and I...that since we already knew we loved each other and were already engaged..."

"I get it, Dave," JJ whispered as she nodded, moving toward him. "And if I had any doubt about us, I'd say no. But I don't. I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. And if that starts a little earlier than we anticipated, so be it."

"I don't deserve you," Dave said softly as she lifted her arms around his neck, her fingers burying in his hair. "I really don't," he whispered, staring into her eyes.

"I'm going to remind you that you said that at a more advantageous time. You realize that, don't you?" JJ teased, pressing a kiss to his lips.

"You can remind me any time I forget, but I don't honestly think you'll find that happening any time soon," Dave said ruefully, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close. "I'm well aware of what a lucky son of a bitch I am. And if I had any doubt before, the sermon I just received from Prentiss would serve as a loud reminder."

"I take it Emily gave you and Hotch a hard time?" JJ laughed.

"That would be a vast understatement. She thinks we can come up with a better idea. But, we don't have time to waste. The crazy old broad could be poisoning my dad even as we speak, Jen." Shaking his head, he frowned. "At the very least, she's cutting him off from his family. It would definitely make killing him easier if she alienated all of us."

"Don't think like that," JJ ordered, resting her forehead against Dave's as they stood in each other's arms. "We're going to get up there and get to the bottom of this. And evidently, we're going to find time to fit a wedding in along the way," JJ chuckled.

"Well, my sisters will actually come in handy for something for a change," Dave grunted when JJ's fist found his stomach.

"Your sisters are wonderful," JJ insisted as his arms contracted around her, whether to avoid any more body blows or out of a desire to feel her closer against him, she didn't know.

"Babe, they're both royal pains in the ass. But," he sighed heavily, "they are OUR pains in the ass. And I'll be damned if I see a geriatric serial killer rip my family to shreds."

"Hey," JJ chided, smoothing her hand over his jaw, "Nobody is going to rip anything apart. We're not going to let that happen. We'll handle it together, Dave. No matter what."

"You've really got a handle on this understanding spouse routine," Dave praised, pressing a quick kiss to her soft lips. "Are you sure that you've never been married before?" he teased, raising an eyebrow.

"We'll see how understanding I am when I'm trying to balance wedding dress fittings with catching an alleged killer," JJ snorted, tugging gently on his tie. "But, for you, I'll do it," she offered solemnly.

"Look at it this way; no time for wedding day jitters," Dave grinned, capturing her hand in his and lacing their fingers.

"The only jitters I have are the ones associated with sleeping under the same roof as a suspected murderess," JJ shivered, wrinkling her nose.

"Already taken care of," Dave assured her as he shook his head. "You're going to stay with Luce with the rest of the team. She's got plenty of room."

"For both of us?" JJ asked, his tone making her suspicious.

"I'm going to stay at Dad's," Dave replied evenly, well aware of the discussion that was about to ensue.

"Then you'll have company," JJ declared sweetly, cocking her head as she narrowed her eyes. "Where thou goest, I go."

"Babe..."

"No," JJ said quickly, holding up a hand as she took a step back. "If you think I'm going to sit on the sidelines while you go break bread with a killer that might very well be lacing it with arsenic, you're nuts. You can take your plan and shove it, Dave."

"Jen, I just want you to be as safe as possible," Dave tried to placate.

"Funny," JJ said theatrically with a roll of her eyes. "I want the very same thing for you. See how that works?" she said, pointing from him to her.

"You aren't gonna concede this one, are you?" Dave asked grudgingly, well versed in that determined look that seemed to set her face in stone.

"Afraid not," JJ smiled unapologetically.

Nodding, Dave sighed. "Looks like we'll both be staying at Dad's then."

"Good," JJ said approvingly, glancing over her shoulder at the clock on her desk. "Now, suppose you take me home and fill me in on how this little wedding ruse of ours is going to work," she suggested, wondering what else this evening could possibly have in store for her.

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_**Dedicated To My Hero!**_


	54. Chapter 54

_**Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who has been patiently waiting for our stories to be posted. We appreciate your support and apologize for any delays. Real life, however, has taken precedence! We always want to be able to provide you with quality stories and chapters, so our postings may be a bit sporadic over the next month.**_

_**Please check out our most recent challenge on our forum – March Madness! The guidelines are simple: You suggest a pairing and choose a TV title from the list provided (shows are from the 70s, 80s, and 90s). We'll assign out the pairings & suggestions by March 4, and you have until March 31 to create just the perfect story based on the prompts you receive. Your final story does NOT have to be about the TV show prompt, but you do have to use the TV show title in the story somehow. Check out our forum, Chit Chat on Author's Corner, for details and to sign up…you can find a link on our profile pages.**_

_**As always, we do not own Criminal Minds or any of the characters that we so enjoy writing. If we did own them, we would have never had JJ leave!**_

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**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Not Looking**

**Chapter Fifty-Four**

Turning on her side in the big bed next to her soon-to-be husband, JJ propped her chin on her hand as she stared down at him. "So you really think we can make this work?"

"The marriage?" Dave yelped in surprise, his eyes narrowing as he glared down at her. "You know we can make it work. I love you more than anything on earth. You know that!" Lifting his head, he tried to read her expression. "You can't tell me you're having doubts now, JJ. Not after everything we've been through together."

"Dave, shhhh," JJ soothed, placing a hand on his warm bare chest. "Calm down. I wasn't talking about marrying you. If I had a doubt in my mind about us...about our life together, I'd tell you. You're the man I want to spend the rest of my life with...the man I can't wait to spend my life with."

"Then why..." Dave blustered, turning on his side to rest his hand on her sheet covered hip.

"I was talking about your father and his live-in love. Do you think we're going to be able to sell this shotgun wedding to them? Especially after I very vocally told your entire family that I was determined to make you wait...to make sure this was real."

"Oh," Dave said weakly, releasing a pent-up breath as her soft words penetrated the haze his mind had become. "I thought...," he began, shaking his head violently, "Never mind what I thought."

"I know what you were thinking," JJ countered gently, cupping his whispered cheek, "And you have nothing in the world to be concerned about on that score. I love you. I'm yours."

"I love hearing you say that," Dave murmured, his hand tightening possessively on her hip.

"It's true," JJ said simply, leaning her head back against the crisp pillowcase. "From the second I saw you in that hospital bed, not knowing if the bullet would take you from me, I knew I belonged to you. Only you," she admitted simply.

"Sometimes, Agent Jareau," Dave breathed, gently nipping her lower lip, "you steal my breath all over again. I love you, Bella."

"Mmmm," JJ hummed against his mouth. "I know. I feel the same way about you," she breathed, allowing the man she loved the sweet access to her mouth that they both craved. Kissing for a long moment, JJ was forced to still Dave's roving hand as it moved to cup her breast. "Uh, uh, uh, we still have a conversation to finish, Lover Boy."

Blinking blankly, Dave gazed into JJ's clear blue eyes. "Don't hold it against me, babe, but I think I forgot the question."

Laughing, JJ tweaked his flat brown nipple as she said, "Focus, David. How are we going to pull off this wedding and make our change of heart look convincing?"

"Oh, I think my family knows that I have infinite powers of persuasion," Dave grinned, lightly suckling at her neck. "I'll just tell them all I exerted my considerable influence...or that I put a bun in your oven. That would work, too," he chuckled.

"David Rossi!" JJ gasped as he shifted her to her back, his beard rubbing sensuously against her skin. Staring up into his dark sparkling eyes, she gaped. "How can you joke about something like that?"

"Who said I was joking?" he asked reasonably, his agile hands smoothing her satiny nightgown over her hips, revealing her secrets. "You said you wanted my children. In fact, if I recall, Bella, you were pretty insistent. A dealbreaker, I think you called it."

"But so soon?" JJ gasped as his fingers manipulated her soft folds, readying her for what she was well aware would be explosive passion. "That's a fairly large decision to make on the spur of the moment."

"Spur of the moment?" Dave snorted. "Sweetheart, I'm over fifty years old. You knew we'd need to get busy pretty damn quick. Unless you've changed your mind?" he asked, his hand stilling as he stared down at her.

"Changed my mind?" JJ echoed, her eyes widening. "No! You know how much having our child would mean. I just didn't expect you to want to try so soon."

Offering her a crooked smile, Dave winked as his hand resumed wandering. "I guess it's the overachiever in me. When I want it, I want it all. With you, babe."

"David," JJ sighed as her body responded to his gentle ministrations, her thighs parting to allow him access to all her hidden secrets. "Yes," she breathed, her body arching underneath him.

"Yes, what?" he teased, pressing gentle kisses to the exposed flesh above her breasts. "Yes, you want to marry me?" he murmured, catching the soft material with his teeth and tugging it down to expose one milky breast, "Yes, you want to have a baby with me?" he asked, his lips hovering above one berry red peak. "Or, yes, make love to me, please?"

"All of it," JJ gasped as he slowly sank into her. "All of it, Dave!" she panted, clutching his broad shoulders.

"Last chance, sweetheart," Dave warned, nipping her earlobe. "I'm bare here. If you want me to wear a condom, now would be a really good time to tell me."

Eyes fluttering at the image his words created coupled with the hot slide of his naked manhood slowly burying within her, JJ shook her head frantically. "Don't stop," she muttered against his lips. "Please don't stop."

Groaning, Dave sank fully inside her, embedding himself in her soft wet core. "Jesus, woman, the things you do to me," he said roughly, lightly biting her neck as he slowly pumped his hips, her sweet warmth sucking at him. It had been so long since he'd made love to any woman without the benefit of a sheath of latex between them, that the experience was enough to intoxicate him. Having it with the woman he loved was indescribable. "You feel so good," he praised, sinking into her again. "So warm and wet for me."

"Yeeeessss," JJ keened, her nails digging into his shoulders. He was killing her slowly, each shallow thrust of his hips a tease to her already heightened senses.

"I could live like this forever," he whispered passionately against her lips. "Your velvet walls caressing me like this...so fucking erotic, Bella."

Bucking against him, JJ wrapped her long legs around his waist, bringing him impossibly deeper. Smiling as she heard his raw groan of pleasure, she stared into his eyes. "Wouldn't you rather move? Feel that wet skin sliding against you?" she whispered hoarsely. "Squeezing you. Sucking at you?"

"Fuck," Dave bit out, thrusting faster. "You're a minx," he accused, breathing more heavily as her cries filled the room.

"Oh, God," JJ gasped, feeling her inner muscles beginning to convulse. "Dave, I'm so close! So fucking close!" she panted, lifting her hips to receive every downward stroke of his body.

"Fuck, yes!" he growled, tangling their tongues passionately. "Never wearing a goddamned rubber again. Not when it feels this fucking good," he vowed, their bodies meeting desperately as each felt fulfillment hovering in the not so distant future. "God, Bella, I need..." he groaned, his words cut off as another primal moan tore from his throat, her muscles squeezing him in an impossibly tighter grip.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," JJ chanted as Dave lost control, bucking into her with a force she'd never felt before. She could feel him swelling within her, his release an oncoming train they were helpless to stop.

"Come with me," Dave ordered haggardly, his thumb finding her pink nub and stroking her roughly. "I'm not going over the edge without you," he murmured, his lips grazing hers as her back arched.

"Davvvviiiidddd, YESSSS!" JJ screamed as wave after wave of completion assaulted her.

Her orgasm triggered his own, her internal walls tightening around him, refusing to let him go. Her body milked the very essence from his soul, his cum releasing in unending milky jets, filling her. "Jesus, JJ!" Dave shouted, his back stiffening as he emptied himself in her welcoming body. "Christ!" he hissed as he slowly pulled out, both of them sensitive from their fierce loving. "You okay?" he panted, drawing her against his sweaty side, his legs still trembling.

"Never...never felt like that," JJ answered, her own breath coming in soft gasps as she curled against him.

Pressing a kiss against her temple, Dave inhaled her fresh scent. "I love you, Jennifer. And I do believe that I'm going to enjoy creating our first child. I'm going to enjoy it a lot."

And turning her head weakly to look into her lover's handsome face, JJ smiled. "Ditto."


	55. Chapter 55

_**Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who has been patiently waiting for our stories to be posted. We appreciate your support and apologize for any delays. Real life, however, has taken precedence! We always want to be able to provide you with quality stories and chapters, so our postings may be a bit sporadic over the next month.**_

_**Please check out our most recent challenge on our forum – March Madness! The guidelines are simple: You suggest a pairing and choose a TV title from the list provided (shows are from the 70s, 80s, and 90s). We'll assign out the pairings & suggestions by March 4, and you have until March 31 to create just the perfect story based on the prompts you receive. Your final story does NOT have to be about the TV show prompt, but you do have to use the TV show title in the story somehow. Check out our forum, Chit Chat on Author's Corner, for details and to sign up…you can find a link on our profile pages.**_

_**And please, check out our new forum topic: A Fanfic Glossary! We want to know if you guys find it helpful and our topic thread "Our Stance on the 2010 Criminal Minds Fanfic Awards". We have also opened a Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior thread where you may discuss the show (respectfully, of course). We also have a forum announcing our fellow author's (Kathi1C) new IheartCriminalMinds blog. You can ask her questions and get directions on going to her site.**_

_**As always, we do not own Criminal Minds or any of the characters that we so enjoy writing. If we did own them, we would have never had JJ leave!**_

* * *

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Not Looking**

**Chapter Fifty-Five**

"Are we seriously going to Commack to stop a senior serial killer?" Emily Prentiss asked as she sucked at the straw inside her strawberry milkshake. "Really?"

"You saw the evidence," Hotch shrugged, glancing across the table at the ravishing woman in the opposite booth, forcing himself to remain professional in spite of the adorable way she hollowed her cheeks. "The evidence was compelling. Hell, even Strauss had to admit that."

Lips quirking, her eyes lit up as she returned Aaron's stare. "I so wanted to be a fly on the wall for that meeting. But, alas, I wasn't invited to the party."

"Trust me," Hotch sighed, sipping his ice tea, "I didn't want to be at the party. Watching Erin and Dave trade insults for almost an hour...I'm pretty sure it gave my ulcer a twin. But Dave has some pretty big guns in his arsenal. She gave us the team and she gave us two weeks to get the job done. Although, she did promise abject humiliation if this thing turned out to be a hoax."

"Yeah," Emily wrinkled her nose as she rolled her eyes, "like that's news. That woman lives to make us all look bad...except when it suits her needs. What did she say about Dave and JJ's marriage?"

"Before she called JJ to make sure that she hadn't taken leave of her senses?" Hotch joked as he arched one dark brow. "Not much she could do. Technically, JJ doesn't work for any of us. No frat rules in place."

"Unlike us," Emily said softly, glancing up through her lashes to measure his reaction.

"Unlike us," Hotch stated softly, his lips slightly downturned. Licking his lips slowly, he hedged, "I guess at some point we need to talk about 'us', huh?"

Quirking her lips, she shrugged. "We could let it be one of those unspoken truths...no one the wiser."

"Somebody is always the wiser, Emily. Especially on this team," Hotch snorted, leaning back in his seat. "Profilers aren't well known for keeping secrets. They read faces."

"Except you've managed to keep yours remarkably blank for years," Emily teased, toasting him with her milkshake, her fingers sliding against the slippery cup.

"Dave knows. JJ knows. It's only a matter of time before the others..."

"Figure it out?" Emily supplied, jabbing her straw back into the thick shake. "Newsflash, Hotch. The entire team knows that I've been attracted to you for years. They're just polite enough not to comment on it."

"Yes, but, until recently, nobody knew I was attracted to you," Hotch pointed out dryly.

"Including me," Emily said with a slight smile. "And if I hadn't pissed you off so badly, I still wouldn't have a clue."

"I wasn't angry. I was terrified," Hotch corrected easily. "The two emotions just look remarkably similar on me."

"They do," Emily demurred as a waitress dropped their check on the table in front of them. Reaching for it simultaneously as he did, she watched Hotch shake his head.

"I've got it," Hotch said evenly, resisting the urge to inhale sharply as her soft palm rest over his. Damn, her skin was soft against his.

Cocking her head, Emily's eyes sparkled. "If you pay, people might construe this as a date. I might construe it as a date," she added.

"I'm paying the bill," Hotch stated softly, allowing her to construe that however she chose. Hell, he did want to date her. He wanted to do a hell of a lot more with her. Intimate things. Illicit things. Illegal things - in some states at least.

Watching as he slid his credit card between the leather case as he nodded to the passing waitress, Emily waited until the woman departed before saying quietly, "So, this was our first official date then."

"I suppose it was," he agreed, his dark eyes meeting hers for a moment. "I don't know how this is going to work, Emily," he offered quietly. "It's dangerous for both of us. For our careers...for our..."

"Hearts?" Emily questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm not much on sentimentality, but yes. For our hearts, as well," Hotch replied huskily.

"Everything comes with a price, Aaron. We're both old enough to realize that by now. But, if this isn't something you want..."

Smiling shyly, Aaron shook his head. "We tried ignoring it, Emily. Look where that got us. I'm just saying that you should know the risks."

"I've been aware of the risks for years," Emily stated calmly. "It didn't matter to me then and it doesn't matter to me now. You're worth the risk."

Astonished, Hotch could only stare at her. How long had it been since anyone had felt that way about him? "I'm not sure what to say," he commented softly. "Except, I think you're worth the risk as well."

"Is that so?" Emily smiled. "I never thought I'd hear those words coming off your lips."

"I never thought you'd put your life in danger and grab my attention like that," Hotch countered, his dark eyes flashing. "Don't do it again," he warned lethally.

"I didn't do it intentionally the first time," Emily volleyed. "But it's nice to know you care."

"I care, Em. A lot," Hotch muttered, his stomach still clenching when he recalled the scene at the penitentiary.

"Where do we go from here, Aaron?" Emily asked him softly, carefully placing her glass on the paper coaster.

"Evidently, to Commack. Maybe...things will become clearer for us up there," Hotch shrugged. "And maybe some time away from the office will put things in perspective for us."

"Or we'll kill each other," Emily laughed. A distinct possibility...she and Hotch were both dominators and it was clear that neither of them was going to back down if they thought they were in the right.

"Or that," Hotch nodded with a rare smile. "Ready?" he asked, gesturing at their empty plates as he signed off on the credit card ticket.

"I am," Emily nodded. "Thank you for dinner, Aaron. I enjoyed it."

"I'm glad. Now, I guess I'd better get you home. We both need to pack for our Commack adventure," he grinned, rising and helping her on with her coat.

Trying not to shiver as she felt his warm fingers graze her arms as he helped slide her coat on, she nodded. "An adventure in more ways than one. I can't believe it. JJ and Dave."

"Really?" Hotch murmured, guiding her toward the door. "She actually suits him better than any woman I've ever seen him with...and I've been around for all three former marriages."

"One day you'll have to tell me those stories," Emily grinned over her shoulder as he helped her slide her coat in to place.

"One day, I just might," he smiled back. He just might tell her a whole lot of things, he thought contentedly as he pressed his hand to the small of her back and followed her out into the beautiful night.

* * *

_**This story is dedicated to all those that have given their lives far from home. May God be with you.**_


	56. Chapter 56

_**Author's Note: Hello, readers. Just a brief note for you all today. For those interested, we have a new challenge up at "Chit Chat on Author's Corner". Sign-ups for our theme song challenge run through May 14, 2011. The rules are simple. Tell us your favorite character about which to write, the character you'd like to receive a story about AND what you envision that character's theme song being. We think it'll be a lot of fun and hope to see all of you there! All our best!**_

_**Also, the second annual Profiler's Choice Awards ARE on the horizon. Please visit our forum, "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" to read the details we have released about this year's awards and offer your opinion on any changes or things you'd like to see this year. It's right around the corner!**_

_**Don't forget, there are ONLY two more days to sign-up for the theme song challenge! Come join us, guys - I think we'll have a lot of fun!**_

* * *

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Not Looking**

**Chapter Fifty-Six**

Smiling slightly as she stared down at the oversized ring currently ensconced on her left hand, JJ sighed audibly.

Glancing over at his bride to be, Dave grinned in spite of the circumstances as he reached for her hand, lacing their fingers together. "So, soon-to-be Mrs. Rossi. How does it feel to be getting married in just a few days?"

"About the same as it did before," JJ said with a smile, settling her fingers against his. "Except now I know it's really going to be real."

"You didn't think we were real before?" Dave asked in confusion, no rancor in his voice.

Rolling her eyes, JJ used her free hand to swat at his arm as they rounded a curve into the well-known subdivision. "Don't be obtuse, Rossi. You know what I mean. I just never counted on getting married and catching a serial killer all at the same time. I don't think Disney ever had a movie about that."

"No, I don't think good old Walt ever counted on princess brides having to battle the forces of evil while trying to live happily ever after," he agreed, squeezing her hand again as he wondered exactly how his family had come into the clutches of that horrid woman that had murdered so many husbands before. And while he wanted more than anything to give his Jennifer the perfect, drama-free wedding that she so deserved, he knew that she understood, more than anyone, why he needed to save his father at this important time.

Finally pulling the SUV to a stop in front of the home he had been raised in, Dave reluctantly slipped his hand from hers so he could move the gears into park. Turning toward the blonde that had overtaken every area of his life, he asked, "You ready for this?"

"I'm fine," she assured him quickly, unsnapping her seat belt with a loud click as she straightened her jacket. "It's you who I'm worried about. And your father."

"Dad will be okay," Dave replied determinedly, forcing himself to believe the words even as he remembered the potential horrors they were facing. "The hardest part will be convincing him that his new lady love is a danger to him."

"If she's guilty, Dave," JJ pointed out as he circled the vehicle to her side, waiting until he opened her door. "This could all be a huge mistake," she added half-heartedly with a faint shrug.

Pursing his lips, Dave eyed the woman in front of him doubtfully as he gestured toward the large house in front of them. "Babe, you brought me the evidence, remember? That woman in there is way past insane. She's been killing across four decades, at least. She's guilty as sin."

"We have to have proof, Dave," JJ murmured, capturing his hand in hers as she watched his face darken. "And not just enough to satisfy the courts, but even more daunting, enough to satisfy your father. If he's anything like you, I highly doubt he's gonna be real happy that he got duped."

"He can get over his heartache in a nice retirement village," Dave muttered, dropping a kiss against her forehead as he gently pulled her to the ground. "Maybe then we'll be able to contain him."

"Dave," JJ admonished, rolling her eyes.

"What?" Dave questioned innocently. "At least he'd be supervised," he grumbled, stuffing his free hand in his pocket.

Sighing, JJ tugged his hand as she began walking up the cracked sidewalk. "C'mon, I think I saw the curtains moving. We wouldn't want to keep a potential serial killer waiting, would we?"

"You know," Dave said, almost conversationally, "it occurs to me that if I'd been the one to find this evidence, you guys would have all called me an alarmist. I could take that personally if I wasn't as confident as I am."

"Good thing I'm the one that found it then, huh," JJ grinned, her heels clicking against the sidewalk. "We still going to tell your father our suspicions."

"We have to," Dave nodded, his face suddenly serious, the bright sunlight illuminating the deepening lines around his eyes. "Even if he doesn't believe us, he'll be on his guard."

"What's to keep him from telling Ethyl that we're suspicious?" JJ whispered as they approached the door.

"He won't if I ask him not to," Dave replied calmly, his hand tightening around JJ's reassuringly.

"It's that simple?" JJ snorted, propping one hand on her hip.

"For all his bluster, Dad is a rational man," Dave replied as he shrugged. "And this family sorta has a code. She's not an insider yet, despite the circumstances. If I ask him to give me some time to either prove or disprove my theory, he'll give it to me."

"You're awfully sure of yourself," JJ muttered, obviously hesitant to believe him.

"See what I mean," Dave teased, pinching her side. "I bring you the information and there're all kinds of doubts."

"Shut up, Rossi," JJ growled, blushing slightly at the truthfulness in his earlier words.

Smiling as the front door opened, Dave winked. "Showtime, Bella."

"There's the happy couple," David's father bellowed jovially, hurrying forward to embrace JJ in a tight hug as he pulled her over the threshold and into the house. "Such a sight for sore eyes, especially since each of my children has threatened never to darken my door again," he added with a long look in Dave's direction.

"There's still time for us to go to a hotel if you like, Pop," Dave retorted, stiffening.

"Dave!" JJ hissed, turning to glare at him, her foot tapping against the hardwood floor.

"He started it," Dave whined, pointing at his father. "But at least he's happy to see one of us. We're not interrupting anything, are we?" Dave asked, peering over his dad's shoulder into the house.

"Wouldn't have opened the door if you had," Gio replied smartly, matching his son's tone. "But as it happens, Ethyl's at the deli right now," he shrugged. "I've got the house all to myself," he said, releasing JJ reluctantly.

Exchanging a satisfied look with JJ, Dave inclined his head. "Even better. We've got some things we need to discuss with you, Pop. And we need to do it privately."

"Davie, if this is about Ethyl moving in again, I already told you and your sisters that..." Gio began belligerently.

"Papa Rossi," JJ said quietly, gently touching his arm, "you really need to hear what we have to tell you. After that, you can make your own decisions, but I'm asking you to hear Dave out. Please," she pled softly, batting her blue eyes at him in a move that had made his son waver from an immovable position countless times before. She only hoped that the elder Rossi generation would respond in the same manner.

"For you, Little One," Gio assented gravely, gesturing JJ ahead of him into the house. "But only for you," he stated with a pointed look at his son.

Rolling his eyes, Dave followed his father and future wife into his childhood home, closing the front door with a flick of his wrist.


	57. Chapter 57

**_Hello, friends! We've got sign-ups going on for or newest "Writers of the Silver Screen" challenge. Check it out. We think it'll be a lot of fun. We also have a mini-challenge in progress for the departing character of Ashley Seaver (no sign-up for this one. Just write a story following the guidelines and link it to the thread on "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum._**

**_Oh, and we're having a lot of fun over at Facebook. To join in the conversations, simply friend "Ilovetvalot Fanfiction". That's me. I'll get you added as quickly as possible. It's just another way for we writers and readers to communicate. And I love to hear from y'all._**

**_Gotta take a second to thank all our loyal readers for sticking with us. Tonnie and I are having a blast bringing y'all stories. We do want to let you know that our posts may be a tad bit slower over the next few weeks. Tracia's husband is now home from Afghanistan on mid-tour leave (Hallelujah!) and Tonnie's real life is a bouncing handful right now (also a Hallelujah, just a bit more subdued!) We appreciate your support, and we are diligently working on all of our epics and many new oneshots!_**

**_Now, on with the show..._**

* * *

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Not Looking**

**Chapter Fifty-Seven**

"No! It's impossible," Gio denied furiously as the ramifications of what his son had just told him sank into his consciousness. His shoulders stiff as he leaned forward, he declared emphatically, "I've known her for years, Davie. Years!"

"Look, Pop," Dave sighed, his posture matching his father's, "Serial killers don't walk around with neon signs. If they did, we'd have caught 'em all," he reasoned, wincing when JJ pinched the skin on top of his hand painfully. Casting her an affronted look, he growled, "Well, it's true!"

"A little compassion, Rossi. A smidge of tact! Was that too much to ask for?" she snarled under her breath, her fingers in place to once again provide a painful reminder.

"Do you know me?" Dave asked incredulously.

"Evidently not even I know you, David, otherwise, you wouldn't have stepped into my home and made these accusations about my soon-to-be..."

"Pop, I don't lie," Dave stated harshly, cutting off his father. "You taught me that," he said, his tone honed to steel-like intensity.

"It isn't true." Gio shook his head, his lips tightening as he glared at his only son. "There has to be some kind of misunderstanding...some kind of explanation."

"Yeah, there is one," Dave snorted, throwing himself back in his seat. "Your lady love is cracked in the head."

Smacking her open palm against the back of his dark head, JJ spat, "Dave! Enough!"

"Babe, we don't mince the truth in this house. Or," Dave said with a speaking look at his father, "we never did before. Has something changed on that score, Pop?"

"You know it hasn't." Gio shook his head quickly, frowning at his child. "But what you say is impossible. Ethyl doesn't have a mean or violent bone in her body."

"We'll have to agree to disagree on that." Dave shrugged, remembering the cold looks he'd received from that woman as a child. Oh, she'd cultivated her harmless image over the years, but he could easily see her being the cold blooded murderess that he theorized she was.

"If you had any real proof, Davie, you'd have already arrested her," Gio pointed out, his eyes widening as he nodded his head.

"All we have right now is circumstantial evidence," Dave agreed, settling back into his chair with an uncomfortable shift and staring across the table at his father. "For now. That doesn't mean the tangible evidence isn't there...just that we haven't found it. Yet," he added with an air of finality.

"And if you're wrong?" Gio asked harshly, his fist balling against the aged wooden table.

"I'll dance at your wedding," Dave replied easily. "But, we're not wrong, Pop," he continued softly. "And I think part of you recognizes that, even now."

"What I realize is that you've entered my home and defiled it with such talk," Gio snapped, shaking his head. "Ethyl is innocent."

"Why? Because you want her to be?" Dave asked, his tone growing harsher with each passing phrase. "You're old and wise enough to know that things don't necessarily work out because it's what we want. You could be in danger, Pop. And if you think I can just ignore the evidence stacked against her and allow you to be a sitting duck, think again."

Lifting his chin, Giovanni Rossi glared at his son. "Suddenly, you think I'm a weak old man, David? Do I need to remind you just who taught you to shoot, my son?"

"I think when faced with defending yourself against someone you've loved and trusted, your reflexes might be a little slow," Dave retorted impatiently, ignoring JJ's nail's scoring his thigh, trying to warn him to soften these blows he was delivering to his father. But, damn it, there was no way he could just stand on the sidelines while his father's life was at risk. "Dad, I was there when we buried Mama together," he said softly. "I'm not real anxious to repeat the experience with the only parent I have left. Especially, when it could be prevented."

Eyes softening at his son's words, Gio sighed. "Everybody dies, Davie."

"And when the time comes, I'll have to let you go. I know that. But this isn't that time, Pop. If I'm wrong, you'll have my sincerest apologies. Ethyl will, too," he bit out, the words leaving a bitter aftertaste.

"But you're convinced you're right," Gio breathed, grim reality beginning to settle over him. His son was an expert. He'd worked tirelessly for a lot of years to become what he was. Gio was undeniably proud of him. But he couldn't just blindly accept what David was saying.

"Maybe it's a case of mistaken identity?" Gio questioned hopefully, grasping for the final straw that he could find.

Tapping her finger against the glossy photo in the file, JJ said quietly, "Gio, that's an awfully remarkable resemblance. You've read the file," she reminded him gently, covering his weathered hand and squeezing gently. "The evidence is circumstantial, but you can't deny how this looks, can you? If the situation were reversed, wouldn't you demand that Dave be careful...that he find out the truth before he married me?"

Staring into the sympathetic gaze of his soon-to-be daughter, Gio grimaced. She was right. He would move heaven and earth to keep any of his children safe. Looking between the two younger people, his shoulders sagged. "What do you want me to do?" he mumbled.

"For now, act the same as you always do while we begin conducting an investigation. Our wedding will distract Ethyl while the rest of the team digs into her past. We'll want access to the house and her possessions..."

"Isn't that illegal?" Gio frowned. "Unlawful search and seizure or something?" he asked in confusion, his white brows drawn together.

"Not if the owner of the house grants us permission," Dave said evenly. "Anything we find can be used against her."

"Jesus, Mary and Joseph," Gio groaned, shoving a hand through his snowy hair. "You're serious?"

"I am," Dave nodded decisively. "Do we have your permission or not, Pop?" he asked gruffly.

Staring at his son a moment, Gio finally nodded. "Do what you have to do."

"I need you to act normally, Pop. And tonight, you're going to tell Ethyl that you're taking me out for an impromptu bachelor party. At which, you're going to tell me and the rest of my team every single thing you know about Ethyl. Got it?" he asked as he heard a car door slam outside.

"I understand," Gio said stiffly. "But just so you know, Davie," he added sternly, "there is nothing normal about this."


	58. Chapter 58

_**Author's Note: Big news today, our friends! The nomination ballot, rules, and category summaries for the second annual Profiler's Choice CM Awards 2011 are up and available for you at "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum. To reach that post, please either take a trip to the forum itself OR links are provided on the profile pages of ilovetvalot, tonnie2001969, OR Profiler's Choice CM Awards. Nomination ballots should be pm'd to Profiler's Choice CM Awards ONLY. That link is also provided on the forum or through the profile pages listed above.**_

_**We are both very excited about this second award process. In order to get the word out to as many as possible, we ask you, our fellow authors and readers, to let others know of this exciting opportunity. Whether by author's notes or Facebook, please let everyone know that the awards season has begun.**_

_**We also want to let you know that in upcoming days and weeks new posts will be going up on the forum in the form of interviews (with new authors and old favorites alike) and new and interesting topic posts. We always appreciate hearing everyone's feedback. Don't be shy. Tell us what you want to see.**_

_**Also, we have THREE days left for signups on the "All the Colors of the Rainbow" challenge. Come join in the fun. The more the merrier. Details can be found on "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum.**_

_**And for those just wandering into one of our stories, BOTH ilovetvalot and tonnie2001969 are now on Facebook. Simply friend "Ilovetvalot fanfiction" and/or "Tonnie Fanfiction". We're having a blast getting to know our fellow authors and readers alike. It's a great place to either socialize or get that much needed muse kicking.**_

_**As ever, we appreciate every single one of you that takes the time to read and/or review our stories. Your valuable feedback is deeply appreciated and we love hearing from you!**_

_**And, if we haven't stated it before, we do not own Criminal Minds, but darn, we wish we did!**_

* * *

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Not Looking**

**Chapter Fifty-Eight**

Closing the door behind him, Dave let a grim smile settle over his lips as he stared around the room that had been his childhood hideaway. With the sisters he'd had, he'd needed all the privacy he could beg, steal, or borrow. Leaning back against the cool wood, he let out a sigh. He knew every nook and cranny of this weather beaten abode, and he would fight to the death to protect the family that made this place a home.

Turning from where she was hanging her clothes inside the closet, JJ cocked her head. "I know better than to ask if you're okay, but…"

Dave shrugged as her words trailed off, meeting her worried eyes as she stepped in front of him. "What can be okay about this? I never thought I'd have to worry about the evil that we chase on a regular basis actually invading the one place on earth that I always considered sacred. But yet, here we are. About to turn my father's home upside down to expel the demon in order to keep him safe."

"And while the first part is true, you've got to focus on the last if we're going to be successful," JJ reminded him gently as pressed a palm against his whiskered cheek. Rising on her tiptoes, she pressed a warm kiss to his lips as she whispered, "And I'd like for our children to know their grandfather, so we need to move fast."

He couldn't help the smile that crossed his lips as he imagined their future…and their children. For years..hell, decades…he'd never allowed himself to even think about such a thing, let alone it might one day be a reality. And yet, here he was, planning to share his life with the right woman this time…the one that he wanted to be the mother of his children.

But he had no time to respond to her words just then. A loud rap sounded against the door, causing them both to jump at unexpected intrusion. Frowning, Dave crossed the room and opened the door, one hand resting on his gun. And then he came face to face with one irate Rossi sister.

"Married? This weekend?" Lucia Rossi growled as she slammed her hand against her brother's chest and shoved him backward into his bedroom, slamming the door behind her. "And you leave a freaking voice mail demanding I show up at the church?" she glowered, shoving her phone in front of his face. "Tell me why there's suddenly a hurry to be married, Davie," she demanded sternly, planting her hands on her hips.

Turning her furious gaze from Dave to JJ, Lucia pursed her lips. "He got you pregnant, didn't he?" she asked before lapsing into frenzied Italian, her hands gesturing wildly as she began to pace the small bedroom.

Backing up a step as she stared at the irate eldest Rossi sister with widened eyes, JJ whispered, "Dave, what the hell is she saying?"

"Well," he drawled, "right now, she's threatening to cut off my penis for the atrocity of giving you a baby out of wedlock and bringing more shame to the Rossi name than pop already has."

Jaw dropping, JJ shook her head rapidly as she drew in a deep breath. "Lucia," she said carefully, "I'm not pregnant. Honest. I'm not. I am not pregnant."

Stopping abruptly in the middle of the room, Lucia's gaze swung back to JJ. "You aren't? Truthfully?" she asked, her gaze narrowing on the younger woman with the golden hair. "Because I liked you. But if you've let this idiot moron I have for a brother..."

"Lucia," JJ said calmly, holding up her hand, "I'm seriously not pregnant. I would know if I was, and I can assure you I'm not."

Releasing a relieved breath, Lucia eyes closed as she collected herself. "Okay," she said more reasonably. "That's good. Not that I don't want a little niece or nephew, but your marriage needs to be blessed by the Holy Church first. In that order."

"Then we're right on schedule," JJ soothed with a reassuring smile. "I'm assuming this means my future husband can keep all his parts intact, right?"

Glaring at her elder brother, Lucia frowned, as if she was considering her options. "For now," she said meaningfully. "But I reserve the right to rescind that decision if he doesn't have a really good reason for not letting you have a big, white wedding with all the trimmings. Besides, I think I mentioned that I refuse to sit in a church with Giovanni Rossi as long as he has this woman living in my mother's house! It's blasphemy," she ranted, gaining steam again as she paced back and forth in the room. "I'm already breaking my own word coming here today, but I had to know he hadn't defiled you before the wedding."

"Oh, I've defiled her, Sis," Dave interrupted as he grinned wickedly. "Repeatedly and at great length."

"Dave!" JJ hissed, punching his arm as she attempted to silence him. "Don't deliberately antagonize her. I just got her to calm down!"

"You know what I meant," Lucia hissed at Dave, her eyes flashing. "Mama would turn in her grave if she thought you'd gotten a girl in trouble."

"Ahhh..." JJ smiled, looking at Dave. "She called me a girl."

"And since Mama is probably already turning cartwheels in the Hereafter due to our father's lunacy..."

"Dave," JJ said, her voice pitched low as Lucia continued to ramble, her volume rising and falling at will, "I think we're going to have to tell her."

"Tell me what?" Lucia snapped, breaking her rant to shift her gaze between her brother and his soon-to-be wife. "What don't I know?"

Nodding at JJ, Dave sighed. "Look, Lu...Dad may be coming around to our way of thinking sooner than you think, okay? I can't tell you more than that right now, but I need you to do me a favor and play nice with him and Ethyl for the next week."

Eyebrows raising, Lucia almost vibrated with outrage. "Have you lost your mind? If you think I'm gonna sit and play nice with that little shrew Dad's boinking, you've lost your mind."

"A week, sis," Dave urged her, nodding supportively. "That's all I need. But, in order to pull this off, I need you and Ari to cooperate and play along."

"This plan," Lucia said warily, narrowing her eyes as she glared at her brother, "It ends with this woman out of our mother's house, right?"

"On her wrinkled ass," Dave assured his sister solemnly.

Pressing her lips together, Lucia fought the urge to scream. "Fine!" she bit out, pointing a finger at Dave, "But whatever this plan is, it had better work!" she threatened, before slamming out of the bedroom.


	59. Chapter 59

_**/***NOMINATE, NOMINATE, NOMINATE YOUR FAVORITE STORIES AND AUTHORS IN THE SECOND ANNUAL PROFILER'S CHOICE CM AWARDS HOSTED BY CHIT CHAT ON AUTHOR'S CORNER FORUM! DON'T KNOW HOW? SEE AUTHOR'S NOTE AT THE END OF THIS CHAPTER!***/**_

* * *

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Not Looking**

**Chapter Fifty-Nine**

Hearing the muffled sound of the front door slamming downstairs, JJ released the breath she'd been holding for the last thirty seconds and turned to scan her future husband with a critical eye.

To the casual observer, he appeared calm and undisturbed. But, then again, she wasn't just anybody. She knew the man standing so still, his hands shoved in his pockets staring at the closed door to their bedroom. She knew him well.

Moving on bare feet toward him, JJ lightly touched his arm, the muscles tense under her fingertips. "Hey," she said softly. "You're doing what's best for everybody involved, Dave. And when all this is behind us, each member of this family is going to owe you a huge debt of gratitude."

"I wouldn't hold my breath waiting on that, Bella," Dave muttered, rolling his head as he massaged his neck. "Jesus, this is a mess," he grumbled. "And a murder investigation certainly isn't what I envisioned as a backdrop for our wedding, damn it. It isn't fair to you."

Stepping in front of the grim faced man, JJ cupped his whiskered cheeks, directing his gaze to hers. "I think we've had this conversation about a hundred times, Rossi. I'm much more focused on the marriage than I am the wedding. The wedding is just a day. The marriage lasts a lifetime...or, at least, it had better," she said, tugging his whiskers for emphasis.

Sliding his arms around her narrow waist, Dave couldn't contain his smile. "Oh, there's no doubt about that, babe. Doesn't change the fact that I'd hoped your first and only trip down the aisle wouldn't be a cover for a sting operation on my dad's piece of a-"

"Uh uh," JJ shook her head, pressing a finger against his damp lips. "You can't be too hard on your father. Love is blind, Dave. And evidently our geriatric femme fatale is pretty convincing. If Garcia hadn't stumbled across that information on her, you wouldn't have picked up on anything diabolical, would you?"

"I guess not," Dave admitted reluctantly, easily cupping her rear as he tugged her another step closer.

"Then, how was your dad going to pick up on anything? He's not even trained to know what to look for, Dave," JJ reminded him softly, twining her arms around his neck.

"I know," Dave conceded under his breath, his arms tightening around her. "It's just...this is our wedding, babe. Your wedding. I owed you more than this," he said, dropping his gaze from her eyes as he stared at the floor.

"The only thing I want from you is a happy marriage, Dave. One filled with love and trust and commitment. The wedding is just the wrapping paper. The marriage is the gift," she said, dropping her hands from his face to his shoulder and shaking him slightly. "Snap out of it," she demanded lightly. "In a few days, I'm going to be Mrs. Jennifer Rossi."

"And that, Bella," Dave said deeply, pulling her closer, "may be the only thing that gets me through these next few days. I'm afraid we haven't heard the last from Lucia. As soon as she gets you alone, she's going to pump you for any information she thinks you have."

"Then, I will use my best public relations smile to assure her that all is well and will work out fine...then, I'll divert her by talking about a future Rossi progeny. That ought to do the trick," JJ winked, pressing a kiss to her fiancé's stubborn chin."That might just distract her enough," he laughed softly, capturing JJ's pliant lips for a long kiss.

Humming into his mouth, JJ felt her body tingle as Dave's capable hands slid over her back to the curve of her ass, molding her against his much harder frame. "Agent Rossi," JJ murmured against her lover's lips, "You wouldn't be thinking about anticipating our wedding vows again, would you?"

"Don't blame me. Blame Lucia," Dave returned easily, sliding his hands over her ass. "All that talk about making babies got me thinking..." he trailed off, capturing her willing mouth for another deeper kiss.

"Did it?" JJ breathed when his lips trailed over her cheek to the sensitive slope of her neck. Tilting her head to give him better access, she ran her hands up and down his muscular chest. "And what ideas did her little diatribe leave you with exactly?" she giggled as his tongue danced along the shell of her ear, pulling a shiver from her.

"Just how much I enjoy our little practice sessions," Dave murmured against her ear as his hands found the hem of her simple cotton shirt. "And since we have this big house to ourselves for at least a couple of hours..." he drawled, slowly easing her shirt up her toned sides.

"You wouldn't be averse to another little practice session, huh?" JJ smiled against his neck, obediently raising her arms above her head for him to slide the restraining garment over her head.

"Well, you know that old saying, babe. Practice does make perfect," he chided, walking her backward toward the bed even as he peeled his own shirt off. "And I really, really want to get it right when the time comes," he smiled wickedly as he reached to free her breasts from the bra she wore.

"Far be it from me to stand in the way of you find a way for us to make a perfect mini-Dave," JJ mocked lightly, sinking her teeth into her bottom lip as his dark head bent, pulling one pouting strawberry colored nipple into the warm heat of his mouth.

"I'm so glad you agree, babe," Dave grinned, licking playfully at the ripe peak hovering before his lips as he eased her back on the bed. Stretching out over her, Dave kissed her gently as one hand found the button of her slim black pants, quickly unfastening the closure and sliding his hand inside to find her already damp and ready for him.

God, he loved this woman. And as hard as he tried, he still couldn't believe that she was willing to spend the rest of her life with him. But she had indeed said yes, and he was going to make sure that they both enjoyed every second of their life together.

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_**Author's Note: Hello, Friends. A couple of announcements for all of you. First, you still have approximately FOUR days to sign up for "The Masquerade Challenge" for October's on "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum. We also have a "Freaky Friday" mini-challenge in progress for those interested. Details for both can be found at the forum. We'd love to have all of you sign up. I think we'll have a lot of fun this Halloween Season.**_

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_**And, if we haven't stated it before, we do not own Criminal Minds, but darn, we wish we did!**_

_*******_** SPECIAL NOTE: For whatever reason, disabled the Profiler's Choice Awards PM system. That means all attempts to submit ballots failed from September 11 - 16. Could you all please help spread the word that anyone who tried to submit a ballot during this period listed above should RESEND their submissions. I am very sorry for any inconvenience this has caused. We really need help reaching all the different ships out there though. So, PLEASE, those willing to help, let me know if you can include this as part of your author's notes to readers.*****


	60. Chapter 60

**Author's Note: S****ignups are underway on "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum for the Criminal Minds Christmas Gift Fic Exchange through 10/31/11. For anyone that has time to participate, swing by and take a look. Simply tell us what pairings you are willing to write, which pairings you WON'T write, whether your write slash or not, the pairing you'd like to RECEIVE as a gift, and one Christmas carol prompt and three Christmas/Holiday theme prompts. For example: Silent Night (carol), reindeer, Christmas tree, blue holiday lights. For anyone that has any questions, simply PM me.**

**The final VOTING ballot will be released shortly for the second annual Criminal Minds Profiler's Choice Awards will also be up at the forum shortly. We are excited to get this final vote underway.**

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* * *

**Love Is What Happens When You're Busy Not Looking**

**Chapter Sixty**

"God, I love the way you feel, Bella," Dave whispered as his fingers toyed with her, pulling needy little whimpers from her throat. "I don't think I'll ever get enough of this."

"Good thing you don't have to," JJ gasped as his fingers found the hidden sensitive bud nestled in her downy curls. Bucking against his skilled hand, she whispered, "Don't stop."

"Not even to do this?" Dave asked, peeling her pants and silky underwear down her legs with a smooth sweep of his hands before kneeling between her legs. "Cause as I remember it, you really like it when I do this," he teased, dipping his head to softly kiss her slick, swollen folds.

"Ahhhh," JJ breathed, her hips lifting as his tongue passed over the tight bundle of nerves that seemed to be seated at the center of her universe. "Oh, God," she moaned, her fingers burying in his silky dark hair as he swept his tongue out for a deep intimate kiss.

"I love the way you taste," Dave growled against her moist flesh, his hunger rising with each passing second. "So sweet and pure."

"Ohhhh," JJ gasped as he circled his tongue around the tight bud that begged for his attention. "Yes," she moaned when his lips suckled gently, tendrils of pleasure wrapping around her body in an inescapable vice. Lifting her hips to receive the velvety rasp of his tongue, she cried out as she felt him pull away.

Catching her breath as she watched him quickly strip out of his blue jeans, JJ watched him lovingly. "You're driving me crazy," she groaned when he paused to grab a condom from one of their bags. "Hurry!" she ordered, shifting restlessly on the bed.

Pausing, Dave looked at her with heated eyes. "We could lose the condom," he suggested seductively. "Make this little practice session into the real thing."

Blinking as she tried to focus on what he was saying, JJ swallowed. "Are you sure?" she asked, turning her head on the pillow to stare back at him. "I know you agreed to have children, but I know you mentioned getting used to the idea, too. I don't want to push you into..."

"I love you," Dave interrupted softly. "I want what you want. But more than anything, right now, I want to slide into you with nothing between us. And if we create a baby in the process, then it's obviously meant to be."

Smiling happily, JJ nodded as she held out her arms. "Then get down here, Agent Rossi, and show me what you're packing."

Chuckling as he climbed into bed, rolling to cover her small body, Dave shook his head. "Honey, if you aren't familiar with what I'm packing by now, I'm not quite as memorable as I always hoped I'd be."

"Oh, you're memorable all right." JJ shuddered as she felt his heavy length gently nudging her entrance. "But this is one moment I don't want to forget," she whispered as he slowly filled her.

Groaning low in his throat as her tight channel surrounded him, Dave stared into JJ's wide eyes. "God, Jen..." he breathed raggedly, sensation overwhelming him.

"I know," she said tightly, tightening her legs around his waist as she arched her hips, desperate to feel him.

"So sweet," he breathed, burying his nose in her throat as he shallowly pumped his hips, the wonderful friction of bare skin against bare skin enough to drive him insane. "You're so tight."

"Yes," she moaned as the fire in her belly burned hotter. Lifting her hips as he thrust into her again, she clutched his neck. "Don't stop!" she whispered urgently.

Covering her lips, Dave tangled his tongue with hers, kissing her deeply as the bed creaked under the force of his heavy thrusts. Every stroke drove him insane. Their moans mingled in the shadowed bedroom as each drew closer to release. Her soft cries and pleas coaxing him to ride her harder...push her further.

"God, Bella," he growled, his hand cupping her ass as he thrust into her wet heat. "I can't get enough."

"More," JJ begged as he angled his hips, the deepened contact enough to send her mind splintering into a million pieces, his heated flesh stoking the flame within her. "Oh, God, yes," she cried as he rained kisses against her arched neck. Lifting her hips faster, she searched for her fulfillment, so close, she could taste it.

"That's it, baby," Dave muttered hotly, watching her flushed face contort as her walls contracted around him, squeezing him in a sweet silken vice that threatened to rob him of his control. "Let me have it," he growled as her nails scored his back, her passion overtaking her. Feeling her amazing body coming around his, he let himself go, his thrusts become tighter...jerkier. "Yeah! Fuck yeah," he hissed, gripping her thighs as he moved within her in short, uncoordinated thrusts of his hips.

Screaming as her body exploded, JJ barely heard Dave's rough shout of completion, his own body shuddering above hers as he emptied himself inside her, his release seemingly endless as he filled her.

Gasping for air a moment later, Dave rolled to his back, still struggling to breath. Pulling her sweating body against his, he buried his nose in her hair and held her close. "That was incredible," he said when he could breathe again. "Fucking incredible."

Sliding a hand through the mat of hair on his chest, JJ smiled as she pillowed her head against his shoulder. "I aim to please," she chuckled breathlessly.

"Babe, you didn't just aim. You blew up the damn target," Dave replied, pressing a kiss to her damp forehead.

"Feel better?" JJ asked, rolling to face her lover.

"Much better," Dave replied softly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "As long as I have you, I'll get through this just fine."

"Oh, you've got me, Rossi. And after this little interlude, you just might get a mini-you, too," she whispered as she grinned, her body completely relaxing against his.

"I'd rather have a mini-you, Beautiful," Dave replied gently. "But either way, I'll be a blessed man. Or, I will be once we take care of Ethyl once and for all."


	61. Chapter 61

**Author's Note: Hi guys! The FINAL voting process is well underway for the Second Annual Profiler's Choice Criminal Minds Awards hosted by Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum. Links can be found on our profiler pages. Please come on over and take a look at this year's incredibly talented nominees and their stories. Two random voters (that vote in ten categories or more) will be selected to receive gift cards from Amazon. com at the completion of this year's awards. So, take a moment and join the fun. Please PM us with any questions.**

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**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Not Looking**

**Chapter Sixty - One**

Hours later, JJ watched as the SUV containing her fiancé and her soon to be father in law backed out of the short driveway. With one last wave, she let out a sigh. Let the games begin, she thought to herself grimly as she heard light footsteps on the hardwood floors behind her.

"They gone?" Lucia asked as she came to stand on the other side of the sofa, resting her hand against the nubby fabric.

"On schedule," JJ answered as she turned, giving her almost sister-in-law a supportive smile. "Don't worry, Lucia. Dave knows what he's doing. This is the best way for him to get the information he needs in order to make the rest of the plan work."

Nodding tersely at JJ's softly spoken words, Lucia crossed her arms over her chest. "Yeah, well, it had better work. I'm not gonna be happy if he left us with that crazy old bat just so he and Pop could go watch the game and toss back a few down at Curzio's Bar."

JJ was about to once again reassure the other woman, but was interrupted by a shrill voice.

"Girls? You still in there?"

"Not by choice," Lucia muttered under her breath, her face hardening as she pursed her lips.

Having seen that same look of disgust on Dave's face more than once recenlty, JJ recognized the pending explosion that was about to overtake them all. "We're here, Ethyl," JJ called out, keeping her voice even and congenial. Grabbing Lucia by the arm, she forced the taller woman down the hallway as she added, nicely, "What can we do to help with dinner?"

"Not eat it," Lucia muttered under her breath, wincing as JJ's fingers twisted the sensitive skin painfully.

"We're putting on a happy face, remember, Luce?" she murmured under her breath. "Smile, we're on bat shit crazy's radar now," JJ warned, pasting on her sunniest grin as she entered the kitchen.

"There you two are!" Ethyl said impatiently from the kitchen table, her hand resting on the back of a chair. "You'd think you were seeing the boys off to war," she said with a shake of her steely grey head.

"You'd know, wouldn't you?" Luce muttered, grimacing as JJ's bony elbow found her ribs.

Clearing her throat from the other side of the table, Mari forced herself to smile. "Ethyl and I were just trying to decide what we should have for dinner. Any thoughts, girls?"

"Actually," JJ said smoothly, "Garcia volunteered to bring over some pizzas. I hope you don't mind, Ethyl. The girls sort of saw this as one of our last opportunities to have a little fun together before the wedding. Sorta a single girl's last hurrah."

"Well," Ethyl began, her wrinkled face falling in disappointment, "I was going to cook you girls a celebratory dinner...a reward for all of you coming to your senses regarding Gino and myself."

Feeling Luce stiffen beside her, JJ tightened her grip on the older woman. "Well, that's very kind of you and I'm sure Luce and Mari would love that later this week," she replied sweetly, praying both sisters would remain quiet.

"Yeah," Mari muttered, her eyes flashing dangerously. "We'd love it to death."

Coughing to cover her bark of laughter, Luce's lips twitched at Mari's unintentional stab. Her baby sister had no idea how close to the truth she was treading, her and JJ's choice to leave the youngest Rossi sibling in the dark a conscious effort to protect her. Mari was a lot of things, but able to pull off a long con definitely wasn't among them.

Looking over her shoulder as the doorbell pealed, JJ's smile widened. "Oh! There they are!" JJ announced, turning back to Ethyl. "I know this a surprise, but they just insisted," she enthused, hoping she was pulling off the excited bride bit convincingly.

"Of course. They're your friends," Ethyl said tightly as she crossed her arms over her chest. "But I was so hoping for a family night."

Dragging Luce toward the front of the house before she could say something incriminating, JJ called over her shoulder, "Tomorrow night for sure."

"You realize my arm is attached to my shoulder, right?" Luce whispered violently as JJ marched her into the living room.

"You realize keeping up this little charade is entirely necessary, right?" JJ returned, mimicking Luce's tone. "Keep it together," she hissed, opening the door.

"One frying pan accidently falling upside her oversized head would solve all our problems," Luce remarked softly.

Shooting Luce a quelling look as she ushered Garcia and Emily inside the small entryway, JJ hugged each woman quickly. "Thanks for coming, guys."

"Hey, Gumdrop, we're your cover...and your meal ticket," Garcia smiled, lifting the pizza.

Nodding gratefully, JJ took the boxes from Penelope's hands while the two women took of their coats and draped them on the couch. "Guys, this is Lucia Rossi, Dave's eldest sister," JJ said, jerking her head toward the Italian woman. "She knows everything. Mari, Dave's youngest sister, is in the kitchen with Ethyl. Luce, this is Emily and Penelope, my friend's and colleagues."

"And believe me, my baby sister remains happily ignorant of everything," Luce rolled her eyes. "It's nice to meet you both. I only wish it were under better circumstances."

"So," Emily said with a smile and nod at Lucia, "what's the plan here?"

"That depends," JJ murmured, "Did you bring it?" JJ asked Garcia.

"Did I bring it?" Garcia mocked with a wicked grin as she pulled a DVD case from the depths of her oversize pocketbook. Dangling the movie in front of JJ, Garcia winked. "Honey, you can trust me to find the tasteful strippers."

"Chippendales? Seriously?" Luce choked as she stared down at the half-clad men on the front of the case. "We're going to bond with Psycho over strippers tonight?"

"Yep!" JJ nodded decisively, reaching for the DVD. "And while we're doing that, Emily is going to go to the ladies room...and do some investigating for us."

"Believe me," Garcia almost trilled as she grinned, "It doesn't matter how old you are...these little babies could have distracted the Virgin Mother."

"All right, ladies," JJ whispered as she heard Ethyl's voice from the other room. "Let's put this little operation into activation."


	62. Chapter 62

**A/N – Updates will continue to be slower over the next month. Please stay with us as we adjust to our "new" normal. And check out "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum. We've added a new moderator (hxchick) and some new discussion threads.**

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**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Not Looking**

**Chapter Sixty - Two**

Walking just ahead of his father through the tangled maze of booths and tables toward the corner of the room where Aaron Hotchner sat with the rest of the male members of his team, David Rossi reminded himself once again that his future wife was a trained Federal agent, well versed in defending herself and anyone else should the need arrive.

Hell, he told himself with a snort, that didn't make it an easier to think of her being in the same room with a known serial killer.

But he'd never let JJ know that. She'd kill him before she took out the killer just for spite.

Nodding at Hotch as they reached the long table in the corner, Dave pulled out a chair. "Anything, yet?" he asked gruffly, glancing around the table and meeting his other teammates knowing gazes.

"Emily just sent a text that she and Garcia had arrived," Hotch offered, glancing down at his phone. "So far, everything appears to be on schedule.

Scratching his temple contemplatively, Gio looked between the faces of the men sitting at the table. "What exactly is it you're hoping the girls find tonight, Davey?" he inquired with a frown. "I doubt even if Ethyl is capable of committing these sins you've accused her of, that she'll just leave her arsenic lying out for the world to see. She's aware of what you do for a living," he noted, glancing at his son's shuttered face.

"Maybe," Dave acknowledged with a shrug. "But there'll be something. Every killer leaves a trail. Even the most benign appearing unsubs leave a trace of what they've done. There is no such thing as committing the perfect crime."

"Although, I gotta say, if this lady is as guilty as we think she is, she came pretty close to pulling it off," Morgan drawled, popping a peanut between his lips as he leaned back in his chair.

"And if you don't find anything?" Gio asked gruffly, propping his elbows on the table. "Will you let this go then?"

"It won't happen, Dad." Dave shook his head. "There too much stacked against her. Too much evidence," he clarified as he saw the doubting look in his father's eyes.

"All of which is circumstantial," Gio objected, raising an eyebrow as Dave's jaw dropped slightly. "What? You aren't the only one that knows things. I watch TV, son. You've not one piece of concrete proof that Ethyl has done anything wrong. What you have is several pictures that look remarkably like her. It could all be a freakish coincidence," he insisted, leaning forward.

"You're the one that taught me that there isn't such a thing as coincidence," Dave countered as he met his father's concerned gaze. "There's always a reason for the way things happen even if it isn't obvious."

Hotch mirrored the older man's pose as he leaned forward. His tone was grim as he stated, "I know this is hard for you to believe, Mr. Rossi. But many criminals, especially ones that have hidden their crimes for years, are experts at appearing to be something that they aren't. They're cunning. Deceptive. And extremely intelligent."

Gio shook his head, his forehead wrinkling deeply. "You're telling me that I've been a fool, Agent Hotchner, no matter what pretty words you couch the statement in."

"No, Pop, that's the opposite of what he's saying," Dave retorted impatiently. "You aren't the first one that's fallen for her routine. She's got a whole string of guys that she's done this to...you're just the only one that's managed to survive her. But how long do you think that'll last if she suspects that we're on to her game? Huh? You're just gonna have to trust us and let us do our jobs."

"Bah!" Gio grunted as a waitress slid a mug of beer in front of him, beads of condensation dripping to the plastic-covered table. "You are chasing shadows...all of you," he accused, looking up and down the tables.

"Then the only thing we waste is our own time," Dave muttered, picking up his own glass of scotch and sipping it, hoping against hope that the liquor would do more good than harm.

"Mr. Rossi, for your sake, I hope you're right," Hotch offered quietly as he looked at the elder man with sympathetic eyes.

"But you don't think I am," Gio said softly, his gaze falling on each of his son's somber looking colleagues. "None of you do."

"I'm sorry, sir," Reid spoke uncomfortably from the corner, his shoulders hunched beneath his grey sweater. "No family ever wants to be put in this situation. Often, the unsubs close relationships never even suspect anything is amiss."

"So, I shouldn't feel bad for being a sap," Gio grunted, belting back his beer. "That's comforting," he grumbled, dropping the half empty mug back to the table.

"Pop, you aren't a sap," Dave sighed, frowning at his father as he tilted his head. "You're a good man that wants to believe the best in people, your fiancée included. None of us can fault you for that. But, we need to find out the truth. For your safety, if for no other reason."

Nodding tensely, Gio blew out a hard breath. "Okay. I can't say that if the situation were reversed that I wouldn't be doing the exact same thing. But, what exactly are you all looking for? Maybe I can help."

"Do you know if it's possible that there might be a location other than your home where your fiancée might have stashed mementos from her past?" Reid asked helpfully, his eyes widening as he tapped his fingers against the table. "Often, the unsub will keep souvenirs from each murder. If we could find anything like that, it might be the missing link it would take to prove her guilt."

Pursing his lips, Gio considered the question.

"Pop, what about the deli?" Dave asked, turning to peer at his thoughtful father.

"Nah, Ethyl's hardly even involved with the day to day end of things anymore. She hired a manager a few years back that oversees things for her. I can't imagine she'd leave anything incriminating there for him to see." Gio shook his head, then suddenly stilled, his chin rising slightly. "But..."

"But, what, Mr. Rossi?" Morgan prodded, leaning forward to reach for another peanut shell. "No detail is too small to consider.

"Ethyl does keep a safety deposit box," Gio murmured slowly, his eyes meeting the younger agent's. "Down at First National."

Exchanging a look with Dave, Hotch shook his head. "There's no way into that box without a court order. And no judge I know is going to give us one based on the evidence we have."

"Pop, is there anywhere else you can think of?" Dave asked earnestly. "Maybe a storage unit? Ethyl had to have put her furniture somewhere when she moved in with you, didn't she?"

"She kept her house. She said she was going to see if she could sell it before she went to the trouble of trying to get rid of everything," Gio answered, his eyes widening as he suddenly remembered the house located a few miles from his own.

"Any chance ya got a key?" Morgan grinned, wriggling his eyebrows.

Fishing his key chain out of his pocket, Gio nodded. "As a matter of fact," he said, dangling the key in front of Dave's nose. "I do."


	63. Chapter 63

**A/N – Updates will continue to be slower over the next month. Please stay with us as we adjust to our "new" normal. And check out "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum. We've added a new moderator (hxchick) and some new discussion threads.**

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**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Not Looking**

**Chapter Sixty - Three**

Snapping his phone shut, Dave announced to the other men in the vehicle, "It's all safe. I just spoke with JJ, and the party is well under way. Apparently Garcia is in charge of entertainment, and while it took a few glasses of wine to loosen her up, Ethyl's completely involved now."

"Do I even want to know what that means?" Hotch asked from the driver's seat as he executed a turn into an older looking neighborhood.

Shrugging, Dave tucked the phone back into his pocket. "I don't give a damn about what they're all doing as long as they're keeping all eyes on Ethyl."

"I'd say that the percentages are running highly in our favor that Ethyl would not do anything to the women, Agent Rossi," Reid announced, leaning forward to peer between the opening in the front seats of the SUV. "Her target has always been men, not women. The trigger to change MO would have to be significant and startling."

Before anyone else could interject their comments, Gio called out, "This one, Hotch. On the left. Pull into the carport around back. That way, none of the neighbors will notice anything."

Minutes later, the men stepped into the dim kitchen. Wrinkling his nose as he took a step forward, Derek muttered, "I smell Pine Fresh. Everywhere. Did she wash the walls in it?"

"Ethyl's a meticulous cleaner," Gio said defensively, his shoulders stiffening as he felt duty bound to offer up a token argument for the woman he planned to marry. "She always keeps the house in perfect condition."

Dave grimaced, the scent overwhelming him. "It smells..."

"Like lemons?" Reid supplied helpfully, poking through a stack of magazines on the coffee table.

"Like old people," Morgan complained, waving a hand under his nose as he coughed loudly.

"Hey!" Gio growled indignantly. "You see if you can get to the age I am without using a little Ben Gay to get you over the rough patches."

"Okay, enough," Hotch said, holding up his hands in a call for silence. "We've got a limited time frame here, people, before some nosy neighbor notices a strange car in the driveway and gives Ethyl a call," he warned. "We need to get busy. Rossi, you and Reid take the upstairs. Morgan, Gio and I will look around down here. Keep as many of the lights off in the house as you can. We don't want to hang a neon sign outside that announces we're here."

Nodding, Reid and Rossi headed toward the staircase as Gio asked the Unit Chief, "What exactly is it we're looking for?"

"Anything that says Ethyl might be guilty, Pop," Dave answered over his shoulder, answering for Hotch. "Believe me, there's something here."

"Because you're determined to think the worst?" Gio retorted irritably, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Because I feel it in my gut," Dave commented meaningfully. "And you're the one that taught me to listen to that inner voice inside me."

"Dave, go," Hotch ordered sternly. "You two can argue later," he stated firmly as he opened a drawer to the buffet in the dining room.

Climbing the steps behind Reid, Dave sighed. It wasn't as though he wanted Ethyl to be guilty, but something was off. There was simply too much evidence, circumstantial or not, to be ignored. And he'd be damned if he'd risk his father's life in order to assuage his injured feelings. He couldn't allow the profiler in him to be swayed by emotion. There was too much riding on his ability to do his fucking job.

"I'll take the first bedroom," Reid said over his shoulder as he reached the top of the staircase.

Nodding, Dave moved past the younger man. "Make sure you look in even the most obvious places. Ethyl has been hiding in plain sight for years. Maybe she's gotten sloppy." God, how he hoped the old bitch has been careless with something. Anything. Hell, he'd even take an odd speck of yarn or a piece of plastic and run every fingerprint he could find if that would help the case.

"Yes, sir." Reid bobbed his head before disappearing into the bedroom.

Opening the door to what appeared to be the master bedroom, Dave inhaled deeply as he looked around the immaculately kept bedroom. Swiveling his head, nothing immediately caught his eye as out of place. It appeared to be what it was...a garden variety bedroom. Walking toward the dresser, he noted the antique with a dispassionate eye. The woman had certainly been around long enough to collect a few of them. Randomly opening and closing drawers, Dave found them mostly empty, the odd garment remaining here and there.

Frowning he closed the last drawer and turned toward the closet. Opening it, he found it almost entirely empty, a few cardboard boxes stacked against the wall. Picking one up, Dave stifled a curse as he found those, too, void of anything incriminating.

Moving back into the bedroom, he did a quick check under the still made bed, not even finding a dust bunny for his effort. "Damn it," Rossi grumbled under his breath, grimacing as his knees protested the glossy hardwood floor beneath him. Finally climbing back to his feet, Dave moved toward the chest of drawers, methodically opening and closing them with flicks of his wrist.

Reaching the last one, he jerked it open, prepared to find the same thing he'd found in each of its sisters which equated to jack shit. Barely glancing into it he began to close it when he glimpsed a box dislodged from the back corner. Slowly reaching for the simple wooden box, he pulled it out and lifted the lid.

"Pay dirt," he whispered as he stared at the contents, pouring them carefully into his open palm. Counting quickly, he blew out a long breath, unsure whether he was relieved or nauseated.

Ten wedding rings glinted tellingly in his hand as he sat back on his haunches and stared at them. Ten men. Ten corpses. Ten reasons he now had to convince his father that his beloved wasn't exactly as she appeared.

And rising, he wrapped his fingers around the evidence and went in search of his dad. If this wasn't the proof they needed, he didn't know what was.


	64. Chapter 64

**Author's Note: Hey, guys, due to forum difficulties that will hopefully be resolved by fanfiction dot net soon, if you wish to join the Valentine's Challenge 2012, please visit us over at facebook. There is a group link on my page (Ilovetvalot Fanfiction) and on Hx Chick's page (Hx Chick) where you may sign up. Thanks!**

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**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Not Looking**

**Chapter Sixty - Four**

Thirty minutes later, Dave found himself wondering if, in spite of his best intentions, he might have made a mistake. His normally vibrant father, known for his inability to keep quiet at even the most important times, had not spoken a single word since Dave had showed him the incriminating evidence. He merely sat, stock still, staring straight ahead at a curtain covered window.

"Pop," Dave said softly as he sat down on the sofa next to his father in Ethyl's unused living room. "I know this isn't what you wanted to hear, but it's what had to be said."

"Mr. Rossi," Aaron added from his position across the room in the matching loveseat, "Dave's right. We've got concrete evidence now that will help us stop her from hurting another man."

"That man coulda been you, Pop," Dave said, his lips tightening as he thought of the evil witch getting her hands on his father. "And that'll happen over my dead body."

The elder Rossi turned slowly, his eyes meeting his son's. "You're sure about this, son? There's not another explanation?"

Dave opened his mouth to answer, only to feel his phone vibrating. Glancing down, he saw JJ's number on the display. "Pop, I want to answer that question, but it's Jen."

"Answer it, son."

Nodding, Dave clicked his phone as he answered, "Hey, babe." His eyes widened as he heard JJ's frantic tone and her fast words. "Honey, slow down. What's wrong?"

"It's Ethyl," JJ said quickly, pressing the phone tighter to her ear as she glanced back over her shoulder to where Emily was performing CPR on the elderly woman. "I think she's had a heart attack, Dave!"

"What?" Dave gasped, his jaw dropping as he grabbed the edge of the sofa. "Are you sure?"

"Considering the fact that Emily's been pumping her chest for the last five minutes, yeah! I'm pretty damned sure! The ambulance is on the..."

Hearing the scream of sirens over the phone line. "We'll meet you at the hospital, Bella," Dave replied calmly as the men surrounding him stiffened.

"Hospital?" Gio questioned sharply, his jaw tightening in a strong imitation of his son's. "That woman did not try to hurt one of my girls, did she?"

"I've seen your girls, Mr. Rossi," Morgan snorted, patting the older man on the back, "They could take 'er. What's goin' on, Rossi?"

"It appears that our unsub has suffered a heart attack," Dave replied, shooting his father an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, Pop. That was JJ. They're working on her, but..."

Shaking his head blindly, Gio blinked several times as he tried to absorb this newest information. "She has a bad heart. She forgets to take her medicine."

Privately thinking that was ironic considering the experience she had dosing unsuspecting husbands, Dave urged his father to his feet. "We can meet them at the hospital, Pop. The ambulance was just arriving at the house as JJ was hanging up."

Nodding quickly, Gio hauled himself to his feet, thankful for his son's strong hand around his elbow. Tonight, he felt so old that even his soul ached. "Such insanity," he murmured as Dave hurried him toward the door. "When did the world become this place?"

"It's always been this crazy, Pop," Dave said sadly, opening the door for his father who suddenly appeared far older than he had just a few minutes earlier. "Unfortunately, the crazy managed to find its way into your home this time though. We'll figure it out," he offered calmly, slamming the car door as he jogged around to the other side.

And as he started the engine, he prayed like hell he could help his father do that before he was the one suffering a cardiac arrest.

Twenty minutes later, Dave held open the glass door to the local hospital's emergency room and ushered his father inside. Catching sight of JJ's familiar blonde head in the waiting room, he strode toward her. "Are you all right?" he asked sharply, quickly pulling her into his arms as she stood to greet them.

"We're all fine," JJ murmured against his neck with a heavy sigh, wrapping her arms around his waist and hugging him for a moment. "I don't think she's going to make it, Dave." Turning her head against Dave's chest, she met his father's eyes. "I'm sorry, Papa," she offered quietly, moving out of Dave's embrace to hug the older man.

Shocked, Gio wrapped his arms around his son's future bride. "Not your fault, dolcezza. Some things...they are just not meant to be," he whispered, pressing his cheek against her blonde head.

Drawing back, she looked between the two men. "This might not be the right time to tell you this, but..." she began reluctantly, biting her lower lip.

"I don't think anything you tell us could surprise us at this point, JJ," Dave countered as he shook his head.

"We...or rather, the nurses found something when they brought us Ethyl's personal possessions earlier. See, Penelope had grabbed her purse on the way out, thinking that the hospital would need her insurance card. The nurse accidently dropped it on the way out here and the stuff in it spilled..."

Dave frowned as JJ's face paled, his worry level ratcheting higher with each passing word. "Bella, what are you getting at?"

"Dave, I think we need to get Papa's blood tested in the lab downstairs," JJ whispered, keeping one hand on Dave's father's arm. "Immediately."

"Why?" Gio asked in confusion, shrugging as he met his son's suddenly flashing eyes. "I feel fine."

"JJ is right, Papa," Lucia said quietly, joining the group. "C'mon, I'll go down there with you. They're expecting us."

"I'm not moving a single step until someone explains to me why I'm supposed to give the vampires my blood," Gio announced imperiously, looking each woman over with the practiced glare that Rossis had perfected throughout the generations.

"When the nurse dropped Ethyl's purse, several vials rolled out, Papa," JJ explained slowly, her fist clenching at her side. "We can't be sure, but we think it was rat poison. There's a possibility that Ethyl was already dosing your food. The lab is testing the vials to be sure, but they suggested that you might want to have a sample drawn on your blood."

"You think she was trying to kill me?" Gio gaped, sweat breaking out of his forehead as he stared at JJ.

"Based on the number of vials in her purse, Pop, she wanted to kill a lot of people," Lucia snorted, her lips pressing together tightly. "Thank God none of us ate anything there tonight."

Swallowing hard as a chill swept up his spine, Dave blinked a couple of times before shaking himself out of his stupor. "Dad, go with Lucia. I'll find us some answers."

And with a stiff nod, Gio allowed himself to be led toward the elevators.


	65. Chapter 65

_**Author's Note: Our newest challenge is up and running on the Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum! Join us for the Back to the Basics Challenge. All you have to do is suggest a pairing and three spring prompts for another author to write. We'll assign those prompts to someone else, and you'll receive an assignment based on another author's suggestion. As always, new authors are welcome to join us. THIS IS THE LAST DAY TO SIGN UP! Sign up on the forum today!**_

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**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Not Looking**

**Chapter Sixty - Five**

Waiting until the steel doors had slid closed on his father's grim face, Dave turned to JJ. "You sure that you're okay?" he asked, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"I'm fine," JJ assured him as they walked toward the plastic chairs lining one wall. "I'm having a little trouble believing this is really happening, but I'm fine."

"Join the crowd," Dave muttered darkly as a man in blue scrubs and a surgical cap approached them. "I think we're about to have company," he said, his voice low as he met the grave brown eyes of the doctor.

"Ethyl Wienstien?" he asked professionally ,looking around the room.

"That's us," Dave called, rising from the yellow chair as the physician approached them.

"Is she..." JJ began as the other members of the team surrounded them in a loose semi-circle around the doctor, each wearing identical expressions of concern.

"I'm Dr Paolo, the attending on staff tonight," he introduced himself as he looked over the group. "I'm very sorry to tell you that we were unable to resuscitate Mrs. Wienstien. We lost her. I'm very sorry for your loss."

Blinking as he absorbed Dr. Paolo's grim pronouncement, Dave looked at JJ, her own face stunned.

"H-how?" JJ asked, finally able to utter the word. "Do you know what caused this?" she asked quietly, knowing Dave's father would want some kind of explanation, no matter if Ethyl was guilty or innocent.

"Ms. Wienstien was suffering from congestive heart failure, according to her chart. It appears as if it was simply a massive coronary arrest. If it helps, it was relatively painless. Her heart simply stopped beating," he answered softly, trying to offer comfort to what he thought was a grieving family.

"Unlike her other victims," Dave grumbled under his breath, pressing his lips together as the doctor's eyes narrowed suspiciously. Flashing his badge at the physician, he murmured, "We were embroiled in an ongoing investigation regarding the deceased's past, Doc. Believe me, she wasn't a harmless old lady."

Nodding slowly, Dr Paolo murmured, "Yes, the nurse mentioned the vials that fell from Ms. Wienstien's purse. I believe they told you that they've been sent down to the lab for analysis."

"Yeah, along with my dad," Dave grunted, running a hand through his hair. "How long will those tests take, Doc?"

"A few hours for preliminary results," the doctor returned evenly. "May I ask what you suspect that Ms. Wienstien was involved in?" he asked curiously.

"We've reason to believe that she killed several, if not all, of her former husbands," Hotch supplied, his voice calm and low as he stepped forward. "We also have reason to now believe that she might have been poisoning Mr. Giovanni Rossi, her fiance. Especially given the evidence you found on her person."

"I see," Dr. Paolo breathed. "Mr. Rossi is your father?" he asked Dave.

"He is." Dave nodded, gripping JJ's hand. "And he's been thrown for a hell of a loop tonight."

"I would imagine so," Dr. Paolo acknowledged. "When he comes back, I'd like to give him a cursory examination. Any man of his age that sustained a shock like this is someone I'd want to take a look at."

Nodding his head in agreement, Dave murmured, "I couldn't have put it better myself. Dad has high blood pressure and a heart condition himself."

"Then we certainly don't want to see a tragedy compounded. A quick EKG and physical might go a long way toward calming some of your fears. I'll let the front desk know to send him back when he returns from the lab. They're running on schedule for a change, so it shouldn't be long. Again, I'm sorry for everything, Agents. Please let me know if I can be of any further help. Given the extraordinary circumstances, I'm sure the medical examiner will move Ms. Wienstien to the top of his list."

"Thank you." Dave nodded, shaking the other man's hand. "We appreciate anything you can do."

"See you soon." Dr. Paolo nodded to the group before heading back into the ER.

Releasing a shaky breath, Dave turned toward JJ. "Some pre-wedding festivities, huh?" he muttered as the rest of the team resumed their seats around the room. "I'm sure this is how every bride wants to spend the days before her wedding...pacing a hospital waiting room."

"Hey," JJ chided, rubbing her future husband's stiff arm. "We're together and that's the important thing. I already told you, it's the marriage I'm excited about experiencing. The wedding is just the formality we have to endure to get to the real fun," she murmured as she winked.

"Not reconsidering yet and thinking of jilting me at the altar?" Dave asked, only half teasing as he stared down at her. God knew, any other woman would be running for cover by now. But, not his JJ. She was still planted firmly by his side.

Raising one blonde brow as she slipped her hand in his, JJ shook her head. "Not on a bet, Rossi. But, if in light of recent events," she said pointedly, "you want to delay the wedding, I'll understand."

"Absolutely not," Dave returned sharply, his eyes narrowing as he reached for her and pulled her close. "If you think I'm going to let that old crone cause me to miss out on the happiest day of my life, you're crazy. Unless you want to cancel, we go ahead as planned."

"I don't want to," JJ stressed, letting out a sigh as she settled against him, "but, your father, Dave," JJ whispered. "Despite what Ethyl did, he's going to grieve...to mourn. Do you really think now is the best time for us to drag him into church for a festive occasion?"

"She was a cold-blooded murderer that may very well have already began to poison my father. At the very least, it was on her to do list. Once dad figures that out, I doubt he'll be in the mood to wear black and sanctify her name, JJ. I got my attitude from somebody and it wasn't Mama."

Sighing, JJ squeezed Dave's hand. "Let's just get through tonight and see what the lab and the doctor has to say," she suggested calmly.

Nodding, Dave forced a smile. "One thing you can say, Bella. This family is never going to be boring," he murmured, wrapping his arms around her.

And as she leaned against his strong body, JJ silently agreed. Although, she admitted, boring sounded really good right now.

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**Only three chapters to go! We'd love to hear what you think! Thanks for reading!**


	66. Chapter 66

**Author's Note: Hi Guys! This week Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum is shining the spotlight on our talented fellow author, "What-IfOnly. Please swing by and ask a question. And we invite all our fellow authors to swing by and leave a comment on our new thread, "Lessons Learned: Tell us what Writing Fanfic Has Taught YOU" as well as visiting any of our other active conversation threads. We'd love to have you. And please check out our most recent Fortune Cookie Friday Prompt!**

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**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Not Looking**

**Chapter Sixty - Six**

Swiping his finger across the screen of his phone as he walked back into the small waiting room, Dave met JJ's worried eyes. "Hotch got the preliminary report on the food at the house. There was no evidence of the toxin in anything you all ate tonight."

Nodding, JJ scooted over on the oversized seat as he sat beside her. Leaning her shoulder against his, she murmured, "I don't think she had any opportunity to do anything to us. She didn't get to cook as she had first planned since Penelope and Emily brought the pizzas." Glancing down a ther watch, she added, worriedly, "It's your father I'm worried about, Dave, no tus. He's been with the doctor for over an hour now."

"Luce'll come screaming if they find anything," Dave said, not at all convinced with his own answer. His father had refused to allow him to be in the room for the medical exam, claiming that Dave would only frighten the doctor. Pressing a kiss against JJ's warm forehead, he muttered, "But I'm about to find that damned medico and demand some answers soon if we don't start hearing some explanations soon."

As if the hospital walls had heard his threat, the swinging doors opened into the waiting room just then and Dave's sister appeared.

Jumping up and pulling JJ with him as he saw the pinched look on Luce's face, Dave demanded quickly, "Where's Dad, Luce? What's going on?"

Holding up a hand as she approached, Luce shook her head. "He's okay, Dave. But he's still with the doctor." Stopping in front of the bench seat where Dave and JJ waited, she pressed her lips together as she stared at her brother. "You aren't gonna like what I've got to tell you, but..."

"Spit it out, Luce," Dave growled, his fingers tightening around JJ's hand as he stared into his sister's concerned eyes. "What's that doc saying back there?" he asked, nodding toward the door from which she'd appeared.

"Dad's going to be okay, Dave," she said softly, smiling slightly at Morgan as he pulled a chair from the wall and placed it behind her. Sitting down, she took a deep breath. "But they did find a few things."

"Oh, God," JJ said faintly, her eyes widening on Luce's grave face. "What kind of things?"

Releasing an uneasy breath, Luce looked between the faces of the couple facing her before saying, "Did Dad mention to either of yout hat his angina had been acting up lately?" she asked carefully, wincing as Dave's face darkened.

"No," Dave said slowly, his shoulders stiffening as he listened to his sister. "Not a word."

Seeing JJ shake her head, too, Luce sighed. "Yeah, me or the Brat either," she said, referencing their youngest sister. "His doctor noted it on his visit last month, but dad shrugged it off...he figured it was just the stress of what was going on in the family," she admitted guiltily, letting out a deep breath as she thought of her father's stubbornness…and her own. "None of us have been particularly receptive this past month since he dropped his bombshell."

"I take it that he wasn't just experiencing stress," Dave growled, rubbing a hand over his jaw. "How bad is it?"

"No, not stress. But his angina was being exacerbated...by the poison that Ethyl had been giving him in low doses. His blood tests showed a low level of arsenic in his blood, Davie."

"She was poisoning him?" Dave bit out, fury flowing freely through him as he listened to his sister's revelations. "How bad, Luce?" he ground out, barely aware of JJ pressing her hand against his arm.

"The doctor doesn't think the dosage he's been given is enough to inflict any permanent damage," Luce assured him quickly. "He hasn't told dad yet," she whispered. "Do you think we should? I mean, she's dead and..."

"Thank God!" Dave exploded, surging out of his chair again to pace the deserted waiting room restlessly. "I swear to God, if she wasn't, I'd strangle her with my bare hands! How long?" he barked, his eyes flashing as he looked at Luce. "How long had she been tampering with his food?"

"The doctor can't be sure, Davie. But it looks like she probably began last week...about the time she knew that you were coming back to get married."

"She suspected we were on to her," Dave muttered, shoving his hands in his pockets as he paced, his footsteps heavy against the grey linoleum floor. "Bitch," he spat, his cheeks flushing as he fumed.

"You wanna handle this?" Luce murmured under her breath to JJ as she jerked her head toward her brother. "He can't see dad like this."

"He'll be okay," JJ sighed, watching Dave rant furiously, lapsing between English and Italian with alacrity. Suddenly grateful that she wasn't bi-lingual, she leaned back against the chair. "He needs to get it out of his system." Turning her head back to Dave's sister, she asked quietly, "So, are they going to keep your dad?"

"For the night." Luce nodded as she shifted in her seat. "The doctor wants to monitor his heart and watch his blood work for the next twenty-four hours, but if we don't tell Dad something soon, he's gonna get even more suspicious than he already is."

"Hang in there," JJ said soothingly, reaching ou tto squeeze Lucia's hand. "He's winding down," she said with a soft smile and nod to where Dave now stood stock still in the corner, head bent as if in prayer.

"I'd forgotten he has a temper to rival Dad's," Lucia replied, her eyes watching her brother warily. "They're good men, but extremely sensitive. Especially when it comes to family. Dad is going to take this hard if we tell him, JJ. I think a part of him still believes this has all been some terrible misunderstanding. And maybe for the sake of his heart, we should let him believe it."

"Dad would never forgive us if we started lying now, Luce," Dave interjected, overhearing the last part of Luce's statement as he approached. "As hard as it is to hear, the truth is better for him."

"You really think so?" Luce worried aloud.

"I do." Dave nodded. Holding his hand out to JJ, he pulled her to stand beside him. "JJ and I will go talk to Pop now. I'll send Mari out and you guys take a break. I'll be the bearer of the bad news."

"You sure?" Luce asked, her relief almost palpable as she looked up at them.

Guiding JJ toward the door, Dave replied with deep conviction in his voice, "I'm positive."


	67. Chapter 67

_**Author's Note: Hi, ya'll. There are so many exciting things going on over at "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum this week! First, we have a brand new April challenge up for those that wish to participate. All the details can be found there, but basically, sign up to write your favorite character. You'll be assigned a random Original Character to pair them with in some capacity. For example, sign up with "David Rossi" and you might be assigned the OC of the second Mrs. David Rossi. Sign-ups are through March 31,2012.**_

_**Also, there's a brand new "Author of the Week" thread and this week our spotlight is on the fabulous Ren Kayashima. And, we've added a new discussion thread, "The OCs of Criminal Mind" for productive conversation regarding original characters.**_

_**Fortune Cookie Friday prompts are up for your consideration. And, we'd still like to hear from you on the idea of a Criminal Minds Fanfiction Reading Day. The idea is to choose one Sunday a month to set aside for reading and reviewing the many fantastic stories in the CM fandom. Swing by and comment on any of our discussion threads. We'd love to have you.**_

_**And a supersized thank you to everyone reading, reviewing, favoriting and/or alerting our work. We appreciate each one of you. Feel free to friend us on facebook at either "Ilovetvalot Fanfiction" or "Tonnie Fanfiction". We've got several fun things going on there too and a whole host of uber-talented author and reader friends chatting.**_

_**As always, Happy Reading!**_

* * *

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Not Looking**

**Chapter Sixty – Seven**

Gio Rossi's obviously agitated voice greeted them well before they reached his temporary hospital room. Wincing as she heard the growls coming from the other side of the door, JJ squeezed Dave's hand as she whispered, "Maybe we need to work out a plan on how to break it to him, Dave. It's obvious that he's already upset."

Shaking his head, Dave tightened his fingers around hers as he pushed open the door. "I'll be gentle, babe, but Pop needs to know the truth. And he won't appreciate me tiptoeing around the subject."

Glancing up from his bed as he saw his son and soon-to-be daughter in law enter the room, Gio Rossi straightened up in the gurney-size bed. Pointing at Dave, he demanded, "Tell these people that I'm done here, Davey. There's nothing wrong that can't be fixed at home."

"Look, Pop..." Dave started, shaking his head as he drew in a deep breath. Seeing his father attached to leads and wires, patches on his chest, was harder than he had first thought about. And adding to insult to injury, the ramifications of what might have happened weighed even heavier on his mind.

Waving a hand in his son's direction, Gio growled, "You're going to side with those demons with the needles. I can see it in your eyes." Turning to JJ, Gio smiled tightly. "Talk some sense into him, girlie. He listens to you."

Stepping forward, JJ rested her hand on Gio's arm as she said calmly, "I think Dave wants to talk to you about a few things, Gio. And then I promise we'll find a way to see if we can get you out of here and settled back as home as soon as it's safe for you to do so."

Subsiding fractionally, he looked from one face into the other, his chin lifting in challenge, daring them to lie to him. "She's dead, isn't she?" he asked gruffly.

"Yeah, Pop," Dave confirmed grimly, taking a step, his thigh pressed against the mattress of the bed. "She is."

Other than a sharp inhalation, Gio Rossi showed no outward response to the news. Instead, his gaze became even more hooded. "That's not all, though, is it?" he nudged, his cracked voice wise as he met his son's eyes.

"We can discuss all that later, you know," Dave hedged uncomfortably, his dad's patented stare enough to still make him shift anxiously in his own skin. "It won't change anything now."

"All of it, son," Gio ordered imperiously, his lips pressing together in an unforgiving line.

Releasing a hard breath, Dave knew his father wasn't going to let up. He'd gotten his steely determination from someone, and he was looking him in the eye. "I think you can figure it out, Pop. She was dosing you, too. The amounts they found in your blood stream were minimal, but they were there all the same. It's what had you feeling so off balance lately. Any longer and you'd have been…"

"…toes up beside your mama," Gio finished for him, the muscle in his jaw ticking furiously. He'd been cuckolded. There was no whitewashing the truth. He'd been a fool. A stubborn, pompous fool. And if not for his children's determination, he'd be dead.

"Pop, I'm sorry," Dave murmured with a grim shake of his head, lowering his head when he was unable to hold his father's eyes.

"Don't," Gio barked, holding up a hand sternly in the air. "You don't apologize for being right, my son. It was my own stupidity that put me in this bed," he said more softly, lowering his voice when he noted his son's beloved's wince. "You have nothing to be sorry for."

"You weren't stupid, Papa. We discovered what Ethyl was capable of by pure coincidence," JJ assured the elderly man earnestly. "I'm not sorry we did, though. I like the idea of you knowing your grandchildren," she said with a wink.

Face softening at the mention of a future Rossi line, Gio nodded. "This is true. I would not want to miss watching my son's children putting him through his paces."

"Nice, Pop," Dave snorted, his lips tilting slightly as he heard some of Gio's old self shining through. "But, those grandkids and the wedding are on hold until…"

Eyebrows drawing together as he realized what direction his boy's thoughts have taken, he lifted a gnarled finger. "Don't you say it! You and Jennifer will not let what has happened alter what God has predestined. Not when you finally bring me a daughter I approve of. Madre de Dios, your mama, God rest her soul, is doing cartwheels in the Hereafter and you think to postpone a happy day? No! You tell him, Jennifer. You tell him that this is madness," Gio growled, glaring at his son.

"Actually," JJ murmured as she grimaced, her blonde hair sliding against her shoulders as she shook her head, "It was sort of my idea…"

Gio's expression went from thunderous to ominous in a nanosecond as he looked between the two of them. "You are both idiots," he enlightened them succinctly and with the same authority with which dictators had issued edicts for centuries. "We delay nothing," he commanded, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Just until you feel a little better," JJ quickly assured the older man, hoping to gain some appeasement, her worry about his health still paramount.

"I feel fine. I feel better when you marry my son," he retorted, shoving a finger toward David. "You will not allow the evil that managed its way into my home to change the course you've set. Now, that would break an old man's heart," he said balefully to JJ, appealing to her soft heart.

"Oh, you're goooodddd,"she breathed, narrowing one eye on the Rossi patriarch. "I see where you get it now," she noted, raising an eyebrow at Dave.

"Family trait." Dave shrugged, relieved to see some color returning to his father's cheeks as the older man warmed to his topic.

"Has anyone ever told either one of you that manipulation and guilt are not the way to a woman's heart?" she asked shortly, propping one hand on her hip as she pursed her lips.

"Until it ceases to work, I intend to use what I have at mydisposal. Would you really deny an ill man what he truly desires?" Gio asked pitifully, leaning against his pillows weakly and pressing a hand over his heart.

"Un- believable," JJ whispered as she gaped, her eyes widening on the theatrics of the eldest Rossi. "I didn't think there was an man alive more dramatic than your son."

And with a genuine smile, Gio Rossi's eyes twinkled. "Surprise," he sighed.

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_**Please take a moment and let us know what you think! Thanks for reading!**_


	68. Chapter 68

_**Author's Note: Hi, ya'll. There are so many exciting things going on over at "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum this week! First, we have a brand new April challenge up for those that wish to participate. All the details can be found there, but basically, sign up to write your favorite character. You'll be assigned a random Original Character to pair them with in some capacity. For example, sign up with "David Rossi" and you might be assigned the OC of the second Mrs. David Rossi. Sign-ups are through March 31, 2012.**_

_**Also, there's a brand new "Author of the Week" thread and this week our spotlight is on the fabulous Nix1978. Swing by and pop off a question. And, we've added a new discussion thread, "The OCs of Criminal Mind" for productive conversation regarding original characters.**_

_**Fortune Cookie Friday prompts are up for your consideration. And, we'd still like to hear from you on the idea of a Criminal Minds Fanfiction Reading Day. The idea is to choose one Sunday a month to set aside for reading and reviewing the many fantastic stories in the CM fandom. Swing by and comment on any of our discussion threads. We'd love to have you.**_

_**Also, Felena Fanfiction is hosting a weekly "WILD WORD WAR" every Wednesday on Facebook. Please contact her for further details!**_

_**And a supersized thank you to everyone reading, reviewing, favoriting and/or alerting our work. We appreciate each one of you. Feel free to friend us on facebook at either "Ilovetvalot Fanfiction" or "Tonnie Fanfiction". We've got several fun things going on there too and a whole host of uber-talented author and reader friends chatting. Several authors have their own fun on-going projects designed just for Facebook.**_

_**As always, Happy Reading!**_

* * *

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Not Looking**

**Chapter Sixty – Eight**

Tugging at the white silk as she straightened her dress, JJ glanced up into the full-length mirror and met her soon-to-be sister-in-law's dancing eyes. "Again, I have to ask. How did we manage to put this wedding together in less than seventy-two hours? I feel like I've fallen into an alternate dimension where time means nothing!" she giggled, her full skirt rustling as she turned to face the other woman's serene face.

"Oh, I think you'll find that time means everything to this family, Jennifer," Lucia said with a wide grin. "And by my watch, we've got just about five minutes before you're expected to glide down the stairs and marry my brother." Rolling her eyes, she added drily, "And let me ask you one more time. Are you sure you really want to take on the job of keeping that oaf inline? Nobody will blame you if you finally come to your senses, you know. Based on my years in this family, it's an often thankless job that will most probably drive you insane inside of a year. If you wanna bolt, I'll trip him for you," she offered with a conspiratorial wink, well aware that the last thing this particular woman would do is run. Her brother had finally met his match. Thank God.

"I know it's hard to understand, Luce," JJ said as she shook her head, turning carefully, her dress sliding with her, "But I do love him." Grinning, she added, "And I think your father would never forgive me if I didn't go through with the wedding. I honestly think he's happier than either Dave or me, and that's saying a lot."

A loud tapping on the heavy wooden door sounded, and a second later, Penelope Garcia stuck her head inside. "You ready, Buttercup? The natives are getting restless and Emily's already threatened to shoot the groom with a tranquilizer dart if he doesn't quit asking where you are. Who knew could be so co-dependent?" she asked, wrinkling her nose and giving a mock shudder. "It's disturbing. Really."

Luce snorted as she arched a dark brow. "He's just scared that she'll take my advice and run,"

"Yeah, like you wouldn't be the first to try and tackle heron the way out the door." Ari rolled her eyes, bustling past Garcia as she walked into the room and frowned at her older sister. "JJ is the only woman that Davie's ever brought around that you haven't actively tried to decimate upon arrival."

"The others were wimps…or bitches," Luce countered as she shrugged. "This one has spirit," she noted, jerking her head toward the glowing blonde beside her. "If she was Italian, she'd be perfect," she sighed ruefully.

Propping a hand on her bustled him, JJ retorted dryly. "Excuse my heritage all over the damn place,"

"I'm sure their babies will all have dark hair and swarthy skin," Ari placated with a gentle smile in JJ's direction. "I just hope they'll all have JJ's disposition."

Garcia grimaced as Dave's loud voice echoed up the staircase, obviously disgruntled about the delay in his wedding vows. "As long as they don't get their dad's set of lungs. "

"Get outta my way, Beanpole," Rossi's deep baritone voice ordered from the distance. "I don't give a damn what Garcia threatened to do to you! Believe me, what I'll do will be worse if you don't MOVE!" he thundered.

"Agent Rossi!" Spencer Reid wailed, his voice carrying up the stairs. "Let me down off this hook, RIGHT NOW!"

Choking back her laughter, JJ giggled as she heard Derek Morgan step up next.

"Man, I love you like a brother, but you obviously have no idea how much power Baby Girl wields and she expressly told us to keep you at the altar," Morgan tried to reason.

All four women were unable to remain strait-faced as they heard Derek's yelp of outrage followed by a deep groan of pain.

"Dude, that was seriously uncalled for," they all heard Derek wheeze.

"Dave, mowing your way through our team isn't exactly what I'd deem necessary," Aaron Hotchner intoned with a long suffering sigh. "Morgan, once you can feel your legs again, help Reid off the coat rack," he ordered wearily. "Dave, get a grip or I swear to God, I'll let Emily make good on her threat to taser you."

"But…"

"Rossi, you've survived bullets and serial killers. You can survive fifteen more minutes," Emily's irritated voice offered with alacrity.

"Yeah. That's why you've been glued to Aaron's side," Dave retorted, sarcasm evident in his tone to all those that were listening.

"No," Emily returned, the forced patience filling that one simple word. "THAT'S so I don't draw my Glock and put you out of JJ's misery."

Giggling as she listened from the safety of her bedroom, JJ exchanged a look with Luce.

"Still so sure you wanna be a Rossi?" Luce drawled, swaying from side to side as she grinned.

JJ smiled, straightening the skirts of her gown. "I think I can handle it."

"You're probably the only woman I've ever met that can," Luce agreed, bending to spread out JJ's train. "Okay, before my brother has a stroke, let's get this show on the road."

"I agree," a deeply familiar voice said from the doorway. "My son is not known for his patience."

"Wonder where he got THAT from," Luce muttered, spreading the satin trail of fabric behind JJ in a perfect semi-circle.

"Pop!" Dave bellowed from below the stairs. "Tell me at least that you got a visual!"

"Somebody please go put a gag on him," Gio grumbled before gently brushing a kiss against his almost-daughter's cheek.

"Consider it done," Luce agreed as she straightened. Squeezing JJ's hand, she smiled. "See you downstairs. Sis," she added as she turned toward the door.

"I'm so happy you're joining the family," Ari whispered, hugging JJ quickly before following her sister.

Garcia warned with a wink before following Ari, "You've got three minutes and then I'm turning him loose."

Waiting until the door closed behind Penelope, Gio met JJ's gaze. "My son has never been so…excitable. You'd think he's never done this before."

"Well, this IS the first time he's done it with ME," JJ teased, taking Gio's arm. "And the last time he's doing it, period."

"This is true," Gio agreed solemnly, his eyes dimming for a moment, memories of his own wedding coming back to mind.

"You have that much faith in me?" JJ asked softly as Dave's father guided her toward the door.

"I do." Gio nodded as he reached for the door, the first strains of the Wedding March filtering down the hallway. "Because so help me God, if he screws this up, I'm ditching him and keeping you."


	69. Chapter 69

_**Author's Note: Oh, so many exciting tidbits to share with all of you today! First, who doesn't like a chance to win free stuff? I know I do! And that's what Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum's new "Pay It Forward Review Incentive Program" is ALL about! Reviewers get the chance to win an Amazon Gift Card for themselves AND an author for a story that they review! Cool, huh? Details can be found at the forum thread! Please, check it out! April will have TWO drawings…that's a total of four giftcards up for grabs, folks! This month the thread is focusing on ANY story in which HOTCH is a primary character! It's DEFINITELY worth a look.**_

_**We also have several new threads designed to help readers and authors, alike. Check out the "Morsels for the Muse" thread for some creative inspiration AND our thread called "Facebook Happenings!" to find out what current fun activities are ongoing in that arena! ALSO, we have a wonderful spotlight on Author of the Week, ficdirectory. Pop by and ask a question. She's super excited to hear from you!**_

_**As always, we appreciate everyone that continues to read, review and favorite our stories. It's a pleasure to write for you. Thanks for being so awesome to us!**_

* * *

**Love is What Happens When You're Busy Not Looking**

**Chapter Sixty – Nine**

Smiling bemusedly down at the solid platinum ring on her left hand, Jennifer Rossi leaned her head against her husband's shoulder. "I can't believe it's actually over and done!"

Pressing a kiss to her radiant blonde hair, Dave grinned as he covered her hand with his. "The wedding's done, babe. The marriage is just getting started."

And it was. Both of them would have never imagined that what had started out as friends with benefits, as banal as that term was, had grown into happily ever after. But when Dave had been shot, all those many months ago, their lives had taken a topsy turvy route that had forced them both to realize what was right in front of them…they had fallen in love. And now here they were…married.

A booming voice interrupted the marital couple's introspection just then. "And it's gonna last 'til Gabriel blows that trumpet, right, son?"

Rolling his eyes as his father crossed the living room, two champagne glasses held out toward them. "Yeah, Pop, I think we got that part loud and clear. How much did you have to pay Monsignor Clariso to repeat the forever part twenty times?"

Pressing the glass into his now daughter in law's waiting hand, Gio Rossi winked at JJ. "My son, he seems to forget that one does not pay the priest. One merely reminds the man of God of the many things the family's already done for the parish. One hand washes another, you know."

"Blackmailing God?" JJ returned, her lips twitching as she took a sip of the champagne. "I see the family resemblance more and more every day," she added as she grinned at her new husband.

Grinning good-naturedly, Gio shrugged. "I just wanted to make it clear to one and all that this would be my son's last time before God taking vows of ever after, Bellisima. Now," he said with a mock glare at his son, "Scram. I want to dance with my new daughter."

Chuckling, Dave raised his eyebrows. "I do believe that's the first time you've referred to one of my wives as a daughter, Pop," he teased, squeezing JJ's waist as he dropped a kiss to her blonde hair.

"This is the first time you've ever brought me someone worthy…more worthy than you deserve. Protect that love, my son. It happens only once in a lifetime," he advised, taking JJ's arm and leading her to the cleared dining room where music played softly and the guests danced.

Taking Gio's hand, JJ smiled. "So, I'm your daughter now, am I?"

Tucking JJ's body against his, Gio nodded. "Of course you are," he agreed affably, his feet easily moving in rhythm to the music.

"Good, then that entitles me to an opinion, doesn't it?" JJ returned easily, letting herself follow his perfect lead in the dance. "You," she said, staring up into the older man's face, "need to take care of yourself. Your need to take care of yourself," she chided.

"Oh, not you, too," Gio groaned, grimacing as he shook his head.

"Yes, me too. You want to be around to meet your grandchildren, don't you?" JJ asked gently, her eyes soft as she stared up into familiar eyes. "You've got to stop being so surly. Let the girls step in and help you."

"I'll admit that this whole Ethyl situation threw me for a loop, but I'll be as good as new in a few weeks," Gio grumbled, easily turning JJ to the beat of the music.

"Luce wants to stay with you," JJ said, squeezing Gio's shoulder as they danced. "You told her that you could take care of yourself."

"I can," Gio stated, lifting his chin defiantly, his stubborn Italian pride shining in his eyes.

"Probably," JJ agreed. "But maybe she needs to be here with you. Mari has her husband and children. But Luce's kids are grown. She's alone. And she very nearly lost her father. Maybe she needs to be close to you now."

Flushing, Gio swallowed as he dropped his eyes. "I'm ashamed, Jennifer. I put a cold blooded murderer above my own children."

"You didn't know, Gio. You wanted to believe the best in her. We all know that. Every one of us. But maybe in order to heal those wounds in your heart, you need to keep Lucia close," JJ murmured, her eyes straying to the older woman sitting at a nearby table, the lines around her eyes more pronounced today. The tension of the last month had finally caught up with her…the worry and fear still lingering in her eyes. "She needs you as much as you need her. Consider it an offer you can't refuse. You can either let her move back in here or you can come home with Dave and me."

"It didn't take you long to pick up on the Rossi pushiness. You may have some Italian in you yet," he said, a soft undercurrent of pride in his voice. "Davey chose well. You are exactly what my son needs."

"That works both ways," JJ said with a loving look across the room at Dave.

"You've managed to capture my wily son's heart. I don't think I have ever seen him look as serene as when he looks at you. He's besotted."

"It's mutual," JJ laughed, watching as her new husband approached them, his eyes meeting hers. "Speaking of my husband," she murmured as she nodded over Gio's shoulder.

Glancing behind his shoulder, Gio's grin widened. "Possessive…even with his own father. Definitely my son," he praised. Looking back at JJ, Gio whispered, "His mother would have been proud today. I wish she could have seen it."

"Maybe she has been," JJ replied softly as Dave drew to their side.

"Alright, Pop, you're officially hogging my wife now," Dave grumbled, wrapping an arm around JJ's waist as his father released her.

"You always were selfish with your toys," Gio sighed, taking a step back and tilting his head to the side. "Go on, you two. I have to go tell Lucia that my house rules still include no booze after ten."

Watching as his father walked toward his sister, Dave whispered as he took JJ back into his arms "You did it? You got him to agree?"

"You aren't the only one with powers of persuasion. I just reasonably pointed out that Luce needed him as much as he needed her. After all, look how well it worked out when I did it for Hotch and Emily," she chuckled, inclining her head toward the smiling couple in the corner, Emily leaning heavily against Hotch as they danced.

"You were lucky," Dave snorted, his hand stroking JJ's lower back as they swayed to the music.

"I was right. Maybe we'll be having another wedding soon," she murmured, looking up at him, her eyes staring into his dark gaze as she tried to convince herself that this was indeed real and that he was indeed her husband.

"The only wedding I care about right now is the one I just had," Dave returned, stealing a kiss from her parted lips as he drew her closer, the music fading into the background as he focused on her.

"Very smooth," JJ giggled, her own arms encircling his waist as she leaned her head against his neck. "We really did it, didn't we?"

"From friends with benefits to this…I'm still not sure how it happened, but I'm damned glad it did, Bella," Dave replied gratefully as her body settled against his.

Lifting her head, JJ beamed up at him. "Haven't you, heard? Love is what happens when you're busy not looking."

And in that moment, Dave knew he could go blind today because he would need to look no more. He had his love. And he was never letting her go.

_**FINIS**_

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_**And there it is, ladies and gentleman…the last chapter. We hope you enjoyed the ride!**_


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